Boehringer Ingelheim’s Vetera® XP Vaccines Signs as Title Sponsor of $250,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix at HITS Championship

Saugerties, New York (February 10, 2015): HITS, Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of VETERA® XP vaccines, produced by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., to the lineup of notable title sponsors for the HITS Championship in Saugerties, New York, September 2-6, 2015.  The VETERA® XP Vaccines $250,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix offers junior/amateur-owner jumper riders the opportunity to compete for unprecedented prize money during the richest weekend in show jumping.

Leaders in the equine health industry, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., recently announced the new VETERA® XP vaccines as the only vaccine line that contains the most relevant strains of equine influenza virus that affect horses today. By protecting horses against Richmond/07, Ohio/03 and Kentucky/95, VETERA® XP vaccines meet both the U.S. and worldwide guidelines for equine influenza protection.

“We know the havoc equine respiratory disease can have on horses,” says John Tuttle, DVM, senior associate director, equine professional and technical services at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. “By updating our flu strains, we are offering veterinarians the ability to protect their patients against the newest and most relevant strains of equine influenza.”

The VETERA® XP line is the only vaccine line that meets the World Expert Surveillance Panel on Equine Influenza recommendations and the American Association of Equine Practitioners guidelines.

“Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. is proud to be the title sponsor of the HITS Championship Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix,” said Ms. Amanda McAvoy, senior associate director of equine marketing at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. “With VETERA® XP as the official vaccine of HITS, we’re pairing an elite line of vaccines with an elite competition.”

Beginning this January, Junior/Amateur-Owner jumper riders from coast to coast will have the opportunity to qualify for the VETERA® XP Vaccines $250,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix. Weekly qualifiers, all sponsored by Vetera® XP Vaccines will be hosted at HITS circuits in Thermal, California; Ocala, Florida; Tucson, Arizona; Culpeper, Virginia and Saugerties, New York.

HITS regularly offers Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classics at all of its horse shows with prize money ranging from $7,500 to $25,000, and is pleased to continue the trend of offering top prize money to these riders. With 37 qualifiers spread from coast to coast, the 2015 qualifying season will offer almost $400,000 in prize money.

For a complete list of 2015 HITS Horse Show dates, as well as official qualifying specifications for the VETERA® XP Vaccines $250,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix and other HITS Championship classes, please visit HitsShows.com.

About Boehringer Ingelheim
The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 140 affiliates and more than 46,000 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel medications of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine.

Social responsibility is a central element of Boehringer Ingelheim's culture. Involvement in social projects, caring for employees and their families, and providing equal opportunities for all employees form the foundation of the global operations. Mutual cooperation and respect, as well as environmental protection and sustainability are intrinsic factors in all of Boehringer Ingelheim’s endeavors.

In 2012, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about 14.7 billion euro. R&D expenditure in the business area Prescription Medicines corresponds to 22.5% of its net sales.

For more information please visit www.boehringer-ingelheim.com.