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H I T S O c a l a :
Volume 18 Southern Country Estates
110
I
t has been a dramatic year leading up to the 2008
Florida Winter Show Circuit, but HITS Ocala
has been on a strong steady course after success-
fully concluding the 2007 season and is preparing
for another banner year at its Post Time Farm facil-
ity in Ocala, Florida. The 2008 HITS Ocala Winter
Circuit is set to get underway on Wednesday, Janu-
ary 23 with two consecutive unrated weeks of com-
petition followed by five weeks of AA-rated shows
beginning on Tuesday, February 12 and continu-
ing through Sunday, March 16 when the $100,000
DeLuca Toyota Tundra Grand Prix, presented by
Great American Insurance Group, and the $25,000
Marshall & Sterling Childrens/Adult Jumper Clas-
sic will close out the season. Marion County, Flori-
da is the Horse Capital of the World and the HITS
Ocala Winter Circuit is where equestrians come to
spread out in spacious facilities, live comfortably
within the realm of a gracious and sophisticated
environment and participate in one of the premier
hunter/jumper shows in the United States.
The 2008 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit will mark
its seventh season at Post Time Farm, and the
450-acre property has never looked better, often
surprising first-time visitors with its thought-
fully designed layout and considerable amenities.
Mature and spacious, the facility is home to 12
all-weather competition rings including the new
Grand Prix and Main Hunter rings, which were
added last year and made quite an impression
during the 2007 season. The new Main Hunter
ring is being lauded by all who see it as the most
beautiful ring in the country and is expected to
open doors to more competition in Ocala. Hunt-
er Judge Jimmy Lee summed up the new Main
Hunter ring as Majestic. Bart Poels, Footing Spe-
cialist for the 2008 Olympic games, will see to the
footing in all rings and will be placing a special
focus on footing in the Grand Prix arena.
The Post Time Farm property also features 22
permanent barns and offers more than 2,000
total stalls during the show season. In addition,
there are more than 100 permanent, double-
fenced paddocks, 65 large motor coach spaces
with water and electricity and numerous bridle
paths throughout the property. Rolling hills, 52
miles of four-board fencing, giant oaks and Span-
ish moss trees provide a unique and idyllic eques-
trian atmosphere, creating a quintessential back-
drop to some of the countrys best show jumping.
Theres no other facility like Post Time Farm,
said Tom Struzzieri, HITS President and CEO.
Not only is it our largest property in the coun-
try its also the most beautiful. For those whove
never been to Ocala, the first time is usually an
eye-opener. The rings and barns are some of the
best in the country and the community that sur-
rounds the show is a horse-focused community
that supports and welcomes the horse shows.
The 2008 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit will
kick-off with the return of the popular $20,500
Marshall & Sterling Childrens/Adult Jumper
Championship during the two unrated shows in
H I T S O c a l a :
The Winter Show Circuit in the Heart of Horse Country
The King of Ocala
- Kyle King and his
mount Spitfire win
the 2007 $100,000
Footing Authority
Grand Prix of Ocala,
presented by Great
American Insurance.
The King of Ocala
- Kyle King and his
mount Spitfire win
the 2007 $100,000
Footing Authority
Grand Prix of Ocala,
presented by Great
American Insurance. 111
Volume 18 Southern Country Estates
January. More commonly known as the Are You
a Champion? series, the Jumper Championship
was first offered in Ocala during the 2007
Winter Circuit and was an immediate success.
Offered for one of the fastest-growing segments
in the sport today, this unique four-phase event
also includes bonus prize money of $5,000
awarded to the top eight finishers overall, and
points from the second and fourth legs count
towards the Marshall & Sterling League. The
2008 Ocala Winter Circuit will also feature the
new $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Style
Challenge Derby Classic and increased prize
money for the Junior/Amateur-Owner Low and
High Jumper Classics. As always, HITS Ocala
will feature two Grand Prix events during each
week of the rated shows. On Thursdays each
week, the $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix will take
center stage. On Sundays, all eyes will be on the
$50,000 HITS Grand Prix during Weeks I-IV. In
Week V, the stakes are even higher on Sunday,
March 16 with the grand finale of the circuit,
the $100,000 DeLuca Toyota Tundra Grand
Prix, presented by Great American Insurance
Group. In 2007, Kyle King, aboard Spitfire, beat
out eight other competitors to win the $100,000
Footing Authority Grand Prix of Ocala,
presented by Great American Insurance Group.
The Grand Prix competition is always fierce, and
the excitement is not to be missed.
In addition to the thrilling show schedule,
HITS Ocala has lined up an eye-catching roster
of special events and exhibitor parties. Festivities
kick off the first Saturday in February with a gala
event and Barkitecture Auction in downtown
Ocala to benefit the Humane Society and Marion
Cultural Alliance. Weekends in February con-
tinue with Spa Daze chair massages and spa
services compliments of The Ranch every Friday
and Saturday throughout the first two weeks of
the Circuit. There will be a HITS Ocala Winter
Circuit Sponsor Welcome Reception & Dinner
at the Sky Restaurant February 15, and later in
the month the Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian
Club will host an Equine Art Reception on Feb-
ruary 27. February 23 is the Open House event
at The Sanctuary providing live music, food and
drink for all HITS. Sunday, March 2 is Kids Day,
and Monday, March 3 is the HITS Ocala Exhibi-
tor Golf Tournament held at Golden Ocala Golf
and Equestrian Club. Dont forget the March 9
World of the Horse Event and many more spe-
Sergio Campos and Shakira Do
Jacare capture the $25,000 Ariat
Grand Prix to secure the first 2007
Grand Prix victory in the new
Grand Prix Ring at HITS Ocala.
Tracy Magness and Tarco
Van Ter Moude capture the
$25,000 Ariat Grand Prix
during Week
II
of the 2007
HITS Ocala Winter Circuit. Volume 18 Southern Country Estates
112
cial events leading up to the grand finale of the
$100,000 DeLuca Toyota Tundra Grand Prix pre-
sented by Great American Insurance Group on
Sunday, March 16. Renowned trainer and long-
time Ocala customer Don Stewart is gearing up
for the new season. Im looking forward to an-
other winter in Ocala with all the many improve-
ments. The new scheduling, new footing and, of
course, the added prize money is going to make
it a great year in Ocala.
Beyond the gates of Post Time Farm, Ocala
sits in the heart of what many believe is the most
prime horse country in the United StatesMarion
County Florida. Horses are big business in Mar-
ion County and contribute tremendously to the
regional economy. Florida is a prominent horse
racing state, and nearly 29,000 residents are em-
ployed in the thoroughbred industry alone. Post
Time Farm was actually built for thoroughbred
racehorses before being purchased by HITS, Inc.
in 2001 and turned into the world-class hunter/
jumper facility it is today; but it is not alone. More
than 600 farms and training centers across Mari-
on County are devoted to breeding, training and
showing a wide range of breeds and disciplines.
Outside of the horse industry, Marion County
is a beautiful place to live year round or spend
the winter during the Winter Show Circuit.
Beyond the miles and miles of horse farms and
long green sweeping hills, massive oak trees with
hanging Spanish moss or the stately sand pines
in the Ocala National Forest, Ocala is a vibrant
upscale community filled with art and culture.
Throughout the year more than 250 civic clubs
and organizations host and promote festivals
throughout Marion County, while Ocala is home
to the second largest community theatre in the
state. One of the focal points of Marion Countys
diverse cultural scene is The Appleton Museum of
Art, in addition to a local symphony and the ballet.
Ocala carries itself with a delightful Southern
hospitality and sincerely welcomes the horse
industry and HITS exhibitors year after year. At
the same time, the participants and spectators at
HITS Ocala consistently return because the HITS
Ocala Winter Circuit is simply one of the best
horse show experiences in the country.
v
For more information and a complete schedule
of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com.
All photos © 2007 Lili Weik Photograph