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HITS Saugerties Brings World-Class Course Designers for Top Show Jumping Events
Written by: Jennifer Wood Client:HITS-on-the-Hudson and Culpepper Release Date:2009-05-19
Saugerties, NY - May 19, 2009 - With two grand prix events each week, HITS Saugerties provides some of the greatest show jumping competition in America. To facilitate that, HITS, Inc. has hired some of the best course designers in the world for this year’s shows.
The HITS Saugerties Spring Horse Show Series begins this Wednesday, May 20. The first week runs through Sunday, May 24, and is followed by Week II on May 27-31 and Week III on June 3-7. The shows are held at the beautiful HITS-on-the-Hudson facility and will host many of the top show jumpers in the nation.
Starting out the HITS Saugerties circuit will be renowned course designer Olaf Petersen, Sr. of Germany. He will design during weeks one and five of this year’s Saugerties shows.
Petersen is one of the most accomplished course designers in the world, in addition to being an international judge and President of the Jumping Committee of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). He was the course designer at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the top technical delegate at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, an official supplier of services to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, and was a course designer at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Most recently, Petersen was the FEI Technical Delegate for the 2008 Olympic equestrian events in Hong Kong.
Florencio Hernandez is an FEI-rated course designer from Mexico. He will design courses during week two and has designed before for HITS at the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, CA. He has assisted course designers in such prestigious competitions as three Olympic Games, the Pan American Games, the World Cup Finals, and the Central American Games.
Hernandez is looking forward to designing in Saugerties. He said, “I think HITS produces very good horse shows in different places. They all have good location, rings, jumps, staff, and sponsors. I enjoy working with the HITS staff, and their competitions are very important for horse sport.”
Guilherme Jorge of Brazil, an FEI-rated course designer and veterinarian, will be setting the courses during week three and will have the honor of setting the course for the $125,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix on Sunday, June 7 to close out the spring shows. Jorge is new to HITS Saugerties, but is a much-praised designer and has set at HITS Desert Circuit and HITS Ocala Winter Circuit before.
Jorge has built at such prestigious events as Spruce Meadows for the past six years, the North American Young Riders Championships, and World Cup qualifiers in Canada, England, Finland, and the United States. Jorge’s biggest work has happened in the past three years, starting with the FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas in 2005 and 2007 and the Pan American Games in Brazil last year.
Also new to HITS Saugerties this season is Bernardo Cabral of Portugal. Cabral designed at the HITS Desert Circuit this winter, and he will be at week six of HITS Saugerties challenging riders in the $125,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix on Sunday, August 2, to close out the summer shows.
Danny Foster of Canada is a recognized face at HITS Saugerties. He was the first ever course designer at the HITS-on-the-Hudson facility and will be designing this year during week four. A former competitor, Danny was an integral member of the Canadian Show Jumping Team, bringing home an individual gold medal and leading his team to the silver at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. As a course designer, Danny holds his “I” status with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and designs courses at many of North America’s top show jumping events.
Bringing in some of the best course designers in the world is imperative for HITS, Inc. With more than $1 Million in prize money being distributed this year to the Open Jumper division, HITS is committed to making the Saugerties shows the summer destination for show jumpers.
“Course Designers are a critical part of our annual planning,” said Tom Struzzieri, President and CEO of HITS, Inc. “We wanted to mix in some new faces this season to add some variety and really challenge the exhibitors. We are focused on improving our high-performance product this year and with talent like Petersen, Hernandez, Jorge, Cabral, and Foster, we are sure to be in for some great courses and, I’m sure, some surprises.”
The Open Jumper Division will consist of four Open Jumper classes each week, including a $10,000 Open Welcome, $5,000 Open Speed, and two Grand Prix events, held each Friday and Sunday. The Friday class will offer $25,000 each week, while the Sunday class will offer increasing prize money of $50,000, $75,000 and $125,000 during each three-week series.
The HITS Spring and Summer Show Series prize list is available online. Entries for the summer competition (starting with Week IV) are due on June 17, so please visit www.HitsShows.com for more information and to reserve your spot today.
PRIZE LIST INFORMATION
Prize List | Schedule
Online Feed & Bedding Order
HITS Saugerties Spring and Summer Show Series and the 19th Annual Marshall & Sterling League National Finals Fast Facts
EVENT:
HITS Saugerties Spring and Summer Show Series presented by HITS, Inc.
WHAT:
An eight-week hunter/jumper horse show series produced by HITS, Inc. that runs from May through September annually. The HITS Saugerties Spring and Summer Show Series offer two Grand Prix events each week. Every Grand Prix offered at HITS Saugerties is a qualifying event for the $100,000 USGPL Invitational Grand Prix, which is held each year during the USGPL Finals at HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Virginia.
The 19th Annual Marshall & Sterling League National Finals is the Grand Finale of the season and highlights the League's most accomplished riders in 12 different divisions. The Marshall & Sterling Finals marks the final week of the HITS Saugerties season each year and, in addition to the four-day competition, features the Annual Top Ten Awards Dinner, which honors the leading riders in each division based on their performance throughout the season. The League awards more than $30,000 in prize money during the National Finals.
WHERE:
HITS-on-the-Hudson
454 Washington Avenue Extension
Saugerties, NY 12477
Phone: 845.246.5515 (during horse shows)
WHEN:
Daily, Wednesday–Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during show weeks
HITS-on-the-Hudson I: May 20-24
HITS-on-the-Hudson II: May 27-31
HITS-on-the-Hudson III: June 3-7
HITS-on-the-Hudson IV: July 15-19
HITS-on-the-Hudson V: July 22-26
USEF Junior Hunter East Coast Championships: July 27-29
NY Horse & Pony Show (VI): July 29 - August 2
HITS-on-the-Hudson VII: August 26-30
New in 2009! HITS-on-the-Hudson VIII: September 2-6
Marshall & Sterling League National Finals: September 10-13
ADMISSION:
Wednesday – Friday: Free
Saturday & Sunday: Adults $5, children under the age of 12 get free admission. All proceeds from the gate go directly to Family of Woodstock, Inc., a non-for-profit organization serving Ulster County.
DIRECTIONS:
The HITS Saugerties Show Series are held at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York, located just two miles from Exit 20 on the NYS Thruway.
Trucks From The North: Exit 20 off of Interstate 87 (New York State Thruway) After tollbooth, turn right onto State Route 32 North and go 1.5 miles Bear slight right at Y, and go 0.1 miles to 4-way stop Turn right at 4-way stop onto Malden Tpke. (County Rt 34) and go 1.6 miles Turn right onto Route 9W South and go 0.4 miles Turn right onto Krout Road Show grounds will be on left
Trucks From The South: Exit 20 off of Interstate 87 (New York State Thruway) After tollbooth, turn left onto Ulster Avenue and go 0.2 miles Turn right and follow State Route 32 North for 1.6 miles Bear slight right at Y and come to 4-way stop. - 0.1 miles Turn right at 4-way stop and go 1.6 miles Turn right onto Route 9W South and go 0.4 miles Turn right onto Krout Road. Show grounds will be on left
Cars From The North: Exit 20 off of Interstate 87 (New York State Thruway) After tollbooth, turn right onto State Route 32 North and go 1.0 miles Turn right onto Peoples Road and go 0.9 miles Turn left after train tracks onto Canoe Hill Road and go 0.5 miles Canoe Hill Road becomes Krout Road - 0.8 miles Show grounds will be 1.8 miles on right
Cars From The South: Exit 20 off of Interstate 87 (New York State Thruway) After tollbooth, turn left onto Ulster Avenue 0.2 miles Turn right onto State Route 32 North and go 1.0 miles Turn right onto Peoples Road and go 0.9 miles Turn left after train tracks onto Canoe Hill Road and go 0.5 miles Canoe Hill Road becomes Krout Road - 0.8 miles Show grounds will be 1.8 miles on right
SPECTATOR PARKING& ENTRANCE: Gates D or E only. Parking is free.
EXHIBITOR ENTRANCES:
Gate A – Permanent Stabling, Gold Stalls
Gates B & C – Permanent Stabling, Silver Stalls
Gates D & E – Tent Stabling & Ship-In
Gate F – Trailer and RV Parking
THE FACILITY:
HITS-on-the-Hudson, Saugerties, New York The HITS equestrian facility is nestled at the foothills of the Catskill Mountains, just one mile outside the village of Saugerties. The show grounds feature 10 different competition rings, including a Grand Prix ring, a Main Hunter ring, two jumper rings, four hunter rings, an equitation ring and six separate schooling areas. Spectator seating is available at every ring and in the VIP Pavilion, which overlooks the Grand Prix ring. Spectator parking is located off the Washington Avenue entrances at Gates D or E. For a map of the property, please click here.
REFRESHMENTS:
HITS-on-the-Hudson offers an on-site Food Service Pavilion and Ice Cream Parlor featuring an assortment of frozen delights and Starbucks coffee. The HITS Bar and Grill serves up pizza and cold beer in a spacious air-conditioned lounge. Spectators can grab some lunch and find a grassy spot on the berm while watching some of the world's best show jumping with the entire family right here in the Hudson Valley.
SHOPPING:
The HITS Saugerties Mall features clothing, tack, fine jewelry, custom footwear, art and photography, and custom HITS souvenirs.
LODGING:
(in Saugerties & Kingston, more listed online and in the prize list)
Holiday Inn | 845.338.0400
Comfort Inn | 845.246.1565
Marriott Courtyard | 845.382.2300
Howard Johnson Inn 845.246.9511
Quality Inn & Suites | 845.339.3900
Rodeway Inn 845.331.2900
HITS-TORY:
The HITS-on-the-Hudson equestrian facility was inaugurated in the spring of 2004. In just five years, the HITS Saugerties horse show circuit has become a mecca for East Coast horsemen hosting the largest hunter/jumper horse shows offered during the spring and summer in the United States.
During the course of the circuit, the HITS-on-the-Hudson equestrian facility offers stabling for over 2,000 horses, more than 250 different classes each week, and over $1 million in prize money, more than any other circuit during the spring and summer. Riders of all levels, including current and former Olympians – as well as some of the most popular up-and-coming riders – compete at HITS Saugerties. Each year, on average more than 3,000 horses, 4,500 horseman and 2,500 spectators attend HITS Saugerties and more than $1 million in prize money is awarded throughout the seven-week season.
The economic impact of the HITS Saugerties Show Series on the surrounding community is estimated at $50 million, which reflects spending on food, lodging, living expenses and entertainment in the area during the series of shows.
