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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
December 1, 2005
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HITS
ANNOUNCES 2006 HITS OCALA WINTER CIRCUIT |
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Saugerties,
New York (December 1, 2005)--HITS
(Horse Shows In The Sun) is pleased
to present
the 2006
HITS Ocala Winter Circuit. The circuit
will run for seven weeks from January 18-March
12, at HITS Post Time Farm, a beautiful 300+
acre property located right in the heart of
Ocala
horse country.
The HITS Ocala Winter Circuit will feature more than 250 classes each week and
will award over $1 million in prize money. A $25,000 Grand Prix will highlight
each Sunday for weeks 1 and 2, and every Thursday of the remaining five weeks.
A $50,000 Grand Prix will be offered each Sunday for weeks 3 through 6. Week
7, the finale to the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit, will feature the $100,000 Grand
Prix of Ocala presented by Great American Insurance Group. Approximately 2,000
horses and 4,500 horsemen from the U.S., Canada, South America, and Europe are
expected to be on the show grounds each week.
The HITS Post Time Farm show grounds will present competition in ten all-weather
show rings Wednesday through Sunday from 8am to approximately 4pm. Admission
is free
Wednesday through Saturday, and the $5 adult admission on Sunday will
benefit local charities. Children under 12 are always admitted at no charge and
parking is always free. The Vendor Courtyard, with over a dozen shops, will offer
quality equestrian merchandise from tack to 14K gold jewelry. More than 10,000
spectators are expected to visit the show grounds during the circuit.
Corporate sponsorship of the Ocala Winter Circuit has seen further growth this
year. EMO Insurance will sponsor a $50,000 Grand Prix, and Footings Unlimited
will sponsor a $50,000 Grand Prix. Stillwell-Hansen, Inc. & Four Winds Farm
will sponsor the Pre-Green Hunter Division. Bayer Corporation and Legend® will
sponsor the Bayer/Legend Leading Hunter Rider and the Bayer Legend Leading Jumper
Rider. The Equestrian Shop
is supporting the Pony Hunter Division. Equus Entries will present the Leading
Grand Prix Rider Award, a beautiful "Super Bowl" ring
inlaid with precious stones.
Marshall & Sterling returns to sponsor the Marshall & Sterling League
classes including the $25,000 Marshall & Sterling League Children's/Adult
Jumper Classic. Adequan is showing their support for the League's Open
Hunter Division, while Farnam is supporting the Adult Hunter Division. Exhibitors
will compete in Marshall & Sterling League classes to earn points
towards qualifying for the National Finals to be held September 15-17 at HITS-ON-THE-HUDSON,
Saugerties, New York.
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World-class
course designers with Olympic and Pan American
Games experience will be flown in each week to
design the jump courses in the Grand Prix field.
This year, the course builders are:
William "Buddy" Brown, Wellington,
Florida, who competed at the Olympic Games in
Montreal.
Anthony D'Amrosio from Red Hook, New
York, winner of 32 Grand Prix, two-time world
record
holder for the indoor puissance, and
trainer of four horses that competed in the Olympic
Games.
Former Grand Prix rider, Javier Fernandez
of Jalisco, Mexico.
Kenneth Krome, Westminster, Maryland, course designer for
last year's $100,000 Grand Prix of Ocala presented by Great American Insurance
Group. Krome has also designed Grand Prix courses at HITS-ON-THE-HUDSON,
the Kentucky
National,
the
Los
Angeles
National,
the
National
Western
Stock
Show,
the Memphis in May
Horse Show, to name but a few.
Leopoldo Palacios, Caracas, Venezuela,
former international show jumping competitor
and designer
of the show jumping courses at the
2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Charities and charity events are also an
integral part of the Ocala Winter Circuit.
Local charities are the ticket-takers on
Sundays. HITS donates
100% of the gate
receipts to these charities. This year the charities are Interfaith Emergency
Services, Horse Protection Association of Florida,
Marion Therapeutic Riding Association, Silver
River Marine Institute, and Take Stock In Children.
The Ocala Winter Circuit not only benefits
local charities, but also provides an economic
impact of over $50 million on the community surrounding
the show grounds.
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WEDNESDAY
THROUGH SUNDAY, 2006 SHOW DATES:
OCALA
1
January 18-22
OCALA 2
January 25-29
OCALA WINTER CLASSIC
February 8-12
OCALA WINTER FESTIVAL
February 15-19
OCALA MASTERS
February 22-26
OCALA TOURNAMENT
March 1-5
OCALA WINTER FINALS
March 8-12 |
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FEATURED EVENTS:
$25,000 HITS Grand Prix - Sunday, January 22
at 1:00pm
$25,000 HITS Grand Prix - Sunday, January 29
at 1:00pm
$25,000 HITS Grand Prix - Thursday, February
9 at 1:00pm
$50,000 EMO Grand Prix - Sunday, February 12
at 1:00pm
$25,000 HITS Grand Prix - Thursday, February
16 at 1:00pm
$50,000 HITS Grand Prix - Sunday, February
19 at 1:00pm
$25,000 HITS Grand Prix - Thursday, February
23 at 1:00pm
$50,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix - Sunday,
February 26 at 1:00pm
$25,000 HITS Grand Prix - Thursday, March 2
at 1:00pm
$50,000 HITS Grand Prix - Sunday, March 5 at
1:00pm
$25,000 HITS Grand Prix - Thursday, March 9
at 1:00pm
$100,000 Grand Prix of Ocala presented by Great
American Insurance Group - Sunday, March 12
at 1:00pm
$25,000 Junior / Amateur-Owner
Jumper Classic - Saturday, March 11 at 10:00am
$25,000 Marshall & Sterling Child / Adult
Jumper Classic - Sunday, March 12 at
8:00am
SPECIAL EVENTS:
Kids Day - Sunday, February
26
Grand Finale - Sunday, March 12
Champions of the Week Presentations are held
on Sundays prior to the 1:00pm Grand Prix.
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POST
TIME TRAINING FARM - 13710 U.S. Hwy 27; Ocala,
Florida 34482; Tel: 352-620-2275. Website: www.HitsShows.com
HITS CORPORATE OFFICE: 319 Main Street, Saugerties,
New York 12477. Tel: 845-246-8833, Fax: 845-246-6371,
Website: www.HitsShows.com
All photos ©Lili Weik Photography 2005 |
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