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HITS Purchases Machine to Help Create Unique and New Jumps for Horse Shows

Written by: Jennifer Wood
Client: HITS Desert Circuit and HITS Ocala Winter Circuit
Release Date: 2009-10-28

Saugerties, NY - October 28, 2009 - HITS, Inc. is pleased to announce that they have recently purchased a machine that will help them create new and unique jumps for their show facilities. Their winter show facilities include the HITS Desert Horse Park, which is home to the 2010 HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, CA, for six weeks of competition from January 26 to March 14, and the HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, FL, where the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit will run from January 19 to March 21.

HITS is constantly making improvements to their show facilities, and their new Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) Router, a computer controlled wood-cutting machine, will enable HITS to make new designs for their jumps, including precision die-cuts for all sorts of shapes and even logos. The machine can cut any image or shape loaded into the computer, and it will also save templates so that a file can be opened and made easily from a previously used design. The precision cuts and intricate designs will help HITS make new, creative, and custom-made jumps for both the jumper and hunter rings starting with the circuits in Ocala, FL, Culpeper, VA and Saugerties, NY.

HITS is excited that their new machine will enable them to do more jump design in-house and help them repair jumps more easily. This will be a great addition to the jumps that HITS already has and will complement what HITS receives from their loyal suppliers.

Sponsors who support the HITS show circuits will have more options on jump designs, and HITS will now be able to offer custom-made jumps in sponsor packages to offer them more exposure.

The CNC Router will be housed at the HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, FL, and a team of HITS employees will be trained in how to use it. That team is led by HITS Ocala Winter Circuit manager Jerry Dougherty.

“The new machine gives a lot more variety to what we can build for jumps, so that we’ll be able to have some different looks for different rings,” Dougherty explained. “It’s an upgrade and allows us more freedom in design. We’re not reinventing jumps, but we’re just trying to expand our horizons beyond what we’ve done in the past. It’s a customer service business, and every little upgrade we can have helps out a bit to make sure we’re doing our best for our customers.”

At the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit, there are eight weeks of competition, and many exhibitors have noted that it would be nice to have a change in jumps during the circuit. This is a request that HITS is addressing this year. Dougherty expressed, “We have 12 rings in Ocala, so that’s a tremendous amount of jumps at one facility. We want to make it a more interesting environment for everybody, especially with a longer circuit like Ocala. Adding new jumps to change out later in the circuit is one way that we can do that.”

In addition to HITS Ocala, new jumps will be brought to other HITS circuits. “All of this will take a while,” Dougherty pointed out. “You won’t see a 100 percent change at every show this year, and we’re going to have to learn on the fly. Eventually, we’ll have different sets of jumps at hopefully every facility, and more jumps that are unique to that facility. It won’t look exactly like it did last year.”

Two classes sure to get some of these newly designed jumps in 2010 are the new $10,000 HITS 3’3” Hunter Derbies, which will take place in both Thermal and Ocala, and the big $1 Million USGPL Grand Prix, which will take place on September 12 in Saugerties, NY.

“In addition to being able to provide an overall facelift to our courses, this machine will enable us to do some really special things for our new 3’3” Hunter Derby and, of course, the $1 Million USGPL Grand Prix,” said Tom Struzzieri, HITS President and CEO.

He continued, “These are both exciting new events, and we plan to treat them that way. The $1 Million USGPL Grand Prix, and even some of the Qualifying Grand Prix classes leading up to that class, will have some very distinctive jumps. The course designer for the $1 Million USGPL Grand Prix, Steve Stephens, is especially excited about the machine. In fact, he’s already working on the course design for that class. We plan to unveil a pretty unique set for that event.”

Announcements on special classes, judges, course designers, prize money, and more will be made regularly for all of the HITS Horse Show circuits. To learn of the latest news, please become a fan of HITS’ page on Facebook and sign up to receive HITS’ Twitter updates.

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 $1 Million USGPL Grand Prix in Saugerties on September 12.

To keep on track with the updates or to request a copy of the winter circuit prize lists, please visit www.HitsShows.com.

Photo Credit: HITS’ new CNC Router will provide new, unique jumps for the HITS shows circuits. Photo provided by ez-Router. This photo can be used free of charge only in relation to this press release.