OCALA, FL (January 21, 2010)—With a touch of frost the week before, warmer days are ahead as HITS Ocala is officially underway at Post Time Farm. Exhibitors from far and wide are gathered in the ‘Horse Capital of the World’ for the best in show jumping this season.
“I’ve been coming to Ocala for seven years and it’s a great place to show,” said Shane Powell, who rides and works for Mark Jungherr’s Starlite Farms of Amesbury, Massachusetts. “I love the real farm type atmosphere that exists here, it’s unlike most shows,” he added. Arriving at the very beginning of the New Year, Powell plans on competing throughout the entire circuit in both the Hunter and Jumper divisions.
“You couldn’t ask for better weather!” said Gavin Moylan, enjoying the sun while taking a stroll with his horse on the grounds. However, the weather wasn’t the only great thing Moylan admired about the beginning of the winter circuit, “The footing in Jumper 1 is great,” he said. “The new fences and jumps they have out there look beautiful, as well.” The owner of Meadowville Farms in The Plains, Virginia, Moylan competes regularly in the Grand Prix classes and is eager to start things off this week.
While planting a flower bed in front of his barn, Greg Prince chimed in on returning to HITS Ocala, “We’re always happy to come back each year to Ocala since it’s a great place to show,” he said. “We’ve brought 18 horses this year that will be doing the Equitation and Junior Jumpers that I think will really impress this season.” Prince, alongside Cookie DeSimone, runs Woodridge Farm in Sherborn, Massachusetts.
The start of the circuit on Wednesday saw some exciting classes from both the Hunter and Jumper divisions. David Jennings on Marcus Aurelius was the winner of the $2,500 Brook Ledge Open Welcome, while bragging rights for the Hunters belonged to Amanda Steege, who brought home five blue ribbons. Riding to victory on Caschmier in the Low Hunters, Pebble Beach in Training Hunters and Surreal for the Green Hunters, the new season is off to a good start for Steege.
“I was very pleased with the way the horses showed yesterday,” said Steege of Bedminster, New Jersey. “I love the unrated weeks because they give us an opportunity to see where the horses and riders are at so we can decide what to do for the rest of the circuit.”
With a great beginning in the books, the highlights of the pre-season will be the new $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby and the Marshall & Sterling Child/Adult Jumper Championship, as well as a pair of $25,000 Grand Prix classes, which will round out the pre-circuit for high-performance riders to begin their march towards the Pfizer Million.
In order to qualify for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix, a rider must compete in eight or more HITS Grand Prix classes. The top 40 riders based on money won by horse/rider combination will be eligible to ride for the Pfizer Million. For more detailed information on the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix, please visit our website at HitsShows.com.
HITS, Inc. produces high-quality, international-level hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the village of Saugerties, HITS has been producing shows since 1982 and is now a nationwide company with world-class circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York and Virginia. In 2010, HITS will take the industry to new heights when it hosts the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix in Saugerties on September 12.
For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com.
Media should contact the HITS Media Team at 845.246.8833 or e-mail Media_Info@HitsShows.com.