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Ocala, Florida (February 9, 2007) — The debut of the $20,500 Marshall & Sterling Children's/Adult Jumper Championship received a warm Ocala welcome during the two weeks of unrated shows at HITS Post Time Farm.
This unique, four-phased event—also known as “Are You a Champion?” —was a big draw for the January shows where attendance was at an all-time high. The first two legs featured a $2,500 Speed Class on Friday, January 26, followed two days later by a $4,000 Jump-Off Class on Sunday, January 28. The stakes were higher in the final two legs of the event which also were Jump-Off Classes with $4,000 offered on Friday, February 2, and $5,000 offered on Sunday, February 4. And the best part? Scores from each phase carried over to crown a Champion, and $5,000 in bonus prize money was awarded to the top-eight finishers overall. Not to mention, participants earned valuable points towards the Marshall & Sterling League during phases two and four.
“It's exciting to start out the season with a great event like this,” said Kristen Vale, Horse Show Secretary and Rider. “We had great success with a similar event during our summer shows in Saugerties and wanted to offer something fresh to our Ocala customers.”
Something fresh is right; this event had people talking and eager to participate in the unrated shows. “It's a great idea and a unique way to get people involved and interested. It was fun to constantly watch the results to see where we stood,” said Derek Petersen, Trainer. “The competition was tough and close which kept things interesting right till the end.”
Petersen would know, he trains the riders that ended up with the top honors over all—first place Kristianna Lindgren aboard John 3:16 and second place Kaylee Pratt aboard Landintendant . In a nail biter of a competition, the two beat out 45 other riders who entered all four legs. “Kristianna was just very consistent, she had a strong start early on which helped pave the way for her to lock up first, even with a dropped rail in the final leg,” said Petersen.
HITS Ocala is now in a one-week hiatus and returns on Wednesday, February 14, with the Ocala Winter Classic that begins five consecutive weeks of A-rated horse shows. On Thursday, February 15, the first of five $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix will premier at HITS Post Time Farm and on Sunday, February 18, the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix will take center stage. Another popular Marshall & Sterling event will round out the circuit when the $25,000 Marshall & Sterling Children's/Adult Jumper Classic comes to Post Time Farm during the Ocala Winter Finals, March 14-18.
HITS will also unveil two new rings next week — a new Grand Prix Ring and a new Main Hunter Ring with a raised berm for VIP seating that overlooks both rings. These rings are located at the east end of the current show ring area. Both rings will feature state-of-the-art footing provided by Footing Authority ™, a division of International Surfaces Group, Inc. The Grand Prix Ring will feature Polyrite TM ; the industry's most advanced polymer-coated synthetic footing, while the Main Hunter Ring will provide a soft ride on EuroFelt ® -enhanced footing.
HITS is planning the return of the “ Are You a Champion?” event for Children's/Adult and Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Championships during weeks III and VI of HITS Saugerties Spring and Summer Circuits. “It's exciting to see how these riders and their horses are rapidly becoming the largest division of jumper riders on the horse show circuit today,” said HITS President and CEO, Tom Struzzieri. “We are really pleased with the level of interest and competition. Bringing this event back to Saugerties for weeks III and VI will be a great addition to our spring and summer shows.”
The spring season of HITS Saugerties is set to get underway on May 30 with three consecutive weeks of shows. The $22,500 Children's/Adult Championship and the $40,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Championship will close out the spring shows during week III at Hits-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York.
Since its introduction in 1982, the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit has become a fixture on the East Coast show jumping circuit. Each winter, the Ocala Circuit attracts national and international participants from the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe. Classes offered range from the Grand Prix show jumping classes to a selection of divisions for both the beginning and experienced rider. Located in Ocala/Marion County, the heart of Florida's horse country, the area is home to over 600 horse farms and hundreds of supporting facilities and businesses. HITS moved the Ocala horse shows from the 100-acre Golden Hills International Show Grounds to the circuit's new home, the 300+ acre Post Time Farm in 2002. HITS Post Time Farm is located just a few miles west of the Golden Hills International Show Grounds on Highway 27. The Post Time Training Center was originally built for thoroughbred racehorses. The facility is professionally landscaped and features gated entrances, 52 miles of four-board fencing, 26 permanent barns that house 500 stalls, numerous paddocks, bridle paths, and additional buildings for the horse show office, restaurant and on-site school.
In January 2006, HITS entered into a private equity arrangement with Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. in Los Angeles. As a result, HITS, Inc. is able to develop and execute exciting operational and strategic initiatives that both solidify its well-established position as the leader in horse show management and allows for new growth opportunities including the construction of the new HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, California. HITS generates significant economic impact in each of its five venues in California, Arizona, Florida, Virginia and New York.
Remaining 2007 HITS Ocala Dates:
Ocala Winter Classic (I)
February 14-18
Ocala Winter Festival (II)
February 21-25
Ocala Masters (III)
February 28 - March 4
Ocala Tournament (IV)
March 7-11
Ocala Winter Finals (V)
March 14-18
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