Lexington, Kentucky – Shane Sweetnam of Ireland and Shawn Casady of Midtown, Tennessee, both picked up bonus money in the SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion during the Bluegrass Festival held August 15 to 19 in Lexington, KY.
Sweetnam won the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic on Friday, August 17, with a double clear performance aboard Amaretto D’Arco, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion owned by Spy Coast Farm. Posting one of four double clear performances, Sweetnam’s time of 39.95 seconds gave him the victory over Kaitlin Campbell of Brookeville, MD, riding Rocky W, who stopped the clock in 40.24 seconds.
“I have been using the SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves for quite a while, and I have really grown to like them,” said Sweetnam. “They have a really good grip, are comfortable, and work no matter what the weather is like. I am thrilled to have earned the bonus money again.”
Sweetnam had previously won a $3,000 bonus from SSG Riding Gloves after winning the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round X on Thursday, March 15, as part of the SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion at the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.
Casady is also a repeat winner in the SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion, having claimed a $4,000 bonus after winning the $10,000 Griffis Group High Junior Jumper Classic on February 26 at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival.
In Kentucky, Casady picked up a $1,000 bonus after wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves on his way to victory in the $5,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame High Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic on Sunday, August 19. Casady increased his chances of victory by qualifying two horses for the jump-off, eventually emerging victorious on Sports Casino, a 10-year-old Brandenburger gelding owned by DK-USA Sporthorse. He also finished second aboard Da Vinci, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Cavallo Farms.
The SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion, offering $30,000 in bonus money, will be offered at the 2012 Kentucky Horse Shows held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Riders wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves with the SSG horse head logo clearly visible during all rounds of competition in designated events are eligible for the bonus.
Paige Johnson, winner of the $40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix on Sunday, August 19, was not wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves. The unclaimed $2,000 in bonus money will be carried forward to the next event in the promotion, bringing the bonus money on offer to $4,000 for the $10,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic.
The following classes are still to come in the SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion for the 2012 Kentucky Horse Show season:
Kentucky Hunter Jumper Horse Show – August 22-26
Friday, August 24 – $10,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
Sunday, August 26 – $30,000 KHJA Grand Prix
Sunday, August 26 – Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic
For more information on the SSG Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion, please visit www.ssgridinggloves.com or contact program manager Jennifer Ward of Starting Gate Communications at contactus@startinggate.ca.
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