Signature Leather

Jennifer Chang Carmichael on Signature Leather

Key to the development of Signature Leather equestrian products is our attention to detail from a riders perspective. In this regard our design team are privileged to be able to call upon the expertise of our Far East based spokesperson Jennifer Chang Carmichael and whose hands on review of each Signature glove style appears on our product pages.

American-born but a permanent resident of Hong Kong, Jennifer currently bases her competition horses in the UK. She maintains this complex international arrangement in order to train with one of the world’s great show jumpers, Michael Whitaker. Prior to joining up with Michael, Jennifer had kept her horses in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where the F.E.I’s annual series of Southeast Asian League World Cup show jumping qualifiers takes place.

In August 2007, Jennifer became Hong Kong's first rider ever to win a World Cup Jumping qualifier (in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia). In 2008, she was the first Hong Kong rider ever to be awarded an invitation to a World Cup Jumping Final. She had to pass on the prestigious Las Vegas event in April 2009 (as she was expecting a baby around the same time), but she has since competed successfully from Kuala Lumpur to Portugal, France and England.

Having put our gloves to the test in the tropics of Hong Kong and equatorial Malaysia, Jennifer and her horses have more recently endured the chill of winter in Europe and England. During February and March of this year, our Signature gloves served Jennifer well throughout a four-week series of international horse shows in Comporta, Portugal, where hurricane rains threatened (but failed) to keep Jennifer away from the competition ring. Following from there, Jennifer has taken her Signature gloves on many trips to England, where she has endured plenty of cold and wet show jumping sessions.

Here is what Jennifer has to say about Signature gloves:

"Every time I put on a new pair of Signature gloves, my first impression is that they are just too beautiful and refined for the torture that they will undoubtedly endure. Time and again, however, my favourite gloves continue to amaze me by how well they hold up to both my horses and to nature's elements.

Riding stronger horses I need the confidence of a solid grip of the reins, and with softer horses I need a glove that permits a really close contact feel. All of the Signature glove styles provide both of these benefits and the remarkably soft leather is incredibly durable. I've been trying hard, but to date am unable to wear a pair out!"

We are delighted to announce that Jennifer has recently founded her own company, Cabretta Couture, which features Signature’s full range of equestrian gloves. Please see our Where to Buy section for further information.