 |
Million Dollar Man
By Summer Best
Whether he's on a bike, a horse, a golf cart or on foot, Tom Struzzieri knows his way around the horse world. In 1982, he launched Horse Shows in the Sun, (HITS) during the Florida winter season. Hunter-jumper competitors gravitated to its warmer weather and horse-friendly environment, as well as to its knowledgeable and efficient show management.
The first HITS were actually held in Gainesville, but the circuit soon relocated to the Golden Hills show grounds in Ocala. In 2003, HITS purchased the 300-acre Post Time Farm on US 27, where it now runs eight weeks of international competition and brings an estimated $50 million to the Marion County-area each winter. In addition to HITS Ocala, the company produces HITS-on-the-Hudson (Saugerties, NY), HITS Culpeper (Culpeper, Va.), HITS Thermal (Thermal, Calif.) and HITS Arizona (Tuscon, Ariz.).
And this year, HITS announced its creation of the richest show jumping event in America - a $1 million grand prix. Technically coined the $1 Million USGPL Grand Prix, the class is an invitation-only, supercharged jump-off to be held next September, where only the top 40 riders and horses on the United States Grand Prix League will vie for a portion of the million-dollar purse.
Another Ocala First
"The HITS Ocala Winter Circuit will be the first opportunity for riders on the east coast to start qualifying for the $1 Million USGPL Grand Prix," said Struzzieri, HITS president and CEO. "We expect an exciting circuit with lots of great competition, not only at the high-performance level, but throughout all the different divisions."
In essence, high-performance show jumpers will begin qualifying to compete in the $1 Million USGPL Grand Prix by riding well in HITS Ocala grands prix this January. Throughout the eight weeks of HITS Ocala, show jumpers will have 14 grand prix opportunities to get in the game. After HITS Ocala, riders might opt to continue qualifying at other HITS venues. Those who qualify for the $1 Million USGPL Grand Prix will travel to Saugerties for the Sept. 12 finale, where the first-place winner there will take home $350,000.
Struzzieri believes his announcement brings additional flair to HITS, as well as to the entire equine industry.
"I'm excited about the early response from all our exhibitors," he said. "The early indicators regarding Ocala 2010 have been as big as ever. We are changing the prize list some. We are offering special classes with big prize money. We'll have a HITS hunter derby every Sunday with a $10,000 purse."
The circuits also boast of new jumps and continually improved footing - an all-weather mixture of textiles and sand that Struzzieri says has satisfied the most discriminating riders.
Not only that, but HITS Ocala is lowering some fees to accommodate a variety of budgets. As with 2009, this winter's circuit is waiving a ship-in fee, so local competitors (or those leasing nearby farms) can haul in to show for a day without being penalized. Plus, if competitors commit to the entire eight weeks of showing, they could see discounts on stalls up to 20 percent.
"Our winter circuit in Ocala is very special and has always been competitively priced," Struzzieri said. "I believe these additional savings will enable more customers to take advantage of all that Ocala has to offer and improve their experience at the circuit."
An Evolving World
"The sport horse world has changed, along with the economy, over the past 12 months," Struzzieri said. "High-performance riders are driving the sport more than I had even expected. We (HITS) produce more grand prix events than any other company in the world, while still offering classes at the 2-foot level, and so many divisions in between.
"This year," he continued, "Ocala will offer riders a leg up on qualifying for the $1 USGPL Grand Prix. A lot of riders who previously chose to show in Florida a little further south are looking at Ocala with a lot of enthusiasm this year. It bodes well for them, and it bodes well for some riders who haven't shown with us in the past but who would like to win some money."
|
 |
||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||
(c) 2007 Horse Capital Digest.com |
|||||||||||||
