We are excited to kick off another year of horse shows!
With more than 40 years of horse showing under the HITS name, we are now building on its legacy, continuing to evolve in parallel with our clients’ needs, and will remain at the forefront of equestrian competition. We are listening to our clients and continue to implement improvements to our facilities.
In addition to elite competition, we prioritize the client experience, horse and rider safety, and a culture of community amongst our riders, trainers, sponsors, staff, and spectators.
This is more than a horse show. This is HITS.
HITS
MORE THAN A HORSE SHOW
FRIENDS & FAMILY
HITS is the premier producer of hunter, jumper, and dressage shows in the United States.
The spirit of HITS is the pursuit of passion, achievement, and connection. We are rooted in an exceptional dedication to service, committed to building a culture of community, and passionate about curating meaningful encounters with excellence.
With 40+ years of storied history in building and hosting the show jumping community, we are inviting not only other disciplines but also enthusiasts outside of the equestrian world who are seeking unique and elevated experiences.
In all that we do, in every venue we host, and in every employee at your service, our hope is that you will see and feel the soul of HITS — hospitality, horses, and haute culture.
BEAUTIFUL DESTINATIONS
COMMUNITY
THE TANGIBLE
• World-Class Footing
• New Layout to improve Venue Flow
• New, centrally located Premier Rings to showcase Hunters, Jumpers & Equitation
• Improved Schooling Areas
• Upgraded Stabling & Lighting
HORSE & RIDER
• Wider Range of Stabling & Cost Options
• New Partnerships & Sponsorships to improve the Experience in / out of the Ring
• Exciting offerings including WCHR, ClipMyhorse.tv Hunter Classic series, USHJA International & National Derbies, & The League presented by Marshall & Sterling Insurance
EAT | DRINK | RELAX | ENJOY
• Food & Beverage Improvements
• Community Areas & Events
• Facility Improvements
• New Food Court with Food Trucks
WHAT’S NEW AT HITS
U.S. Show Jumping team member
Aaron Vale shared “Upgrades to the venue improved the conditions dramatically and put HITS Ocala on par with other top facilities in the country.”
— Aaron Vale about HITS Ocala
ABOUT AARON VALE b
OCALA, FL
DEL MAR, CA
CULPEPER, VA
DEL MAR, CA
CHICAGO, IL HITS Ocala Winter Circuit
JANUARY 1 – MARCH 23 HITS Culpeper Show Series
at HITS Del Mar
FEBRUARY 13 – OCTOBER 20 HITS Chicago Show Series MAY 7 – SEPTEMBER 14
APRIL 12 – SEPTEMBER 28 HITS Del Mar Show Series APRIL 29 – SEPTEMBER 28
NY
NY HUDSON VALLEY, NY
MANCHESTER, VT
Our sponsors, riders, trainers, families, staff, and surrounding communities are partners in the HITS experience. HITS is more than a horse show. We’re creating a family environment here. This is a place where we are welcoming everyone.
— Peter Englehart HITS President and CEO
Ocala Winter Circuit
Time Farm | January 1March 23
Visit the Horse Capital of the World!
Situated on 500 acres in the Horse Capital of the World - Ocala, Florida, HITS Post Time Farm is one of the most spacious and horse-friendly showgrounds in the country and a winter mecca for equestrians and their families, offering USEF-rated competitions from December through March.
Beyond equestrian competitions, Post Time Farm offers exhibitors and spectators a curated array of hospitality amenities to complete their winter horse showing experience.
The facility is located just 16 miles northwest of Historic Downtown Ocala. This quaint, walkable downtown offers plenty of dining, shopping, and live music. The surrounding county provides an abundance of opportunities for hiking, biking, kayaking, and exploring nearby springs.
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
HITS understands that there is more to horse showing than the course. The HITS Insider is a resource for our clients to personalize their horse show experience. The Insider provides access to helpful information on events, facilities, and partners as our horse shows evolve over time to meet clients’ needs. Be sure to watch for the live links throughout this guide for access to more information and bonus content.
VISIT HITS
and our partners!
There is nothing like an in-person catchup. Check out our U.S. map of venues to learn more about all the HITS shows, and visit our sponsors and vendors onsite for their most current offerings and merchandise!
FOLLOW HITS and our partners everywhere!
HITS is on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and in the media. Click the links to connect directly with our partners.
SHARE with your friends and family!
Help keep your community in the loop by sharing the HITS Insider with friends, family, and fellow competitors.
Visit online, connect on social, share with your family & friends!
OCALA HIGHLIGHTS
In 2023, HITS began the big undertaking of implementing numerous upgrades to the HITS Post Time Farm facility. Under the guidance of Wordley Martin, the Grand Prix Arena and Main Hunter Arena, along with their corresponding warm-up rings, received complete design overhauls, which incorporated Wordley Martin’s premium footing blend and preserved the iconic granddaddy oak trees. Several other improvements to fencing and landscaping were also made, elevating the overall atmosphere.
Now in 2024, ahead of the exciting 2025 winter season, HITS has taken their commitment to producing an elite horse show experience a step further. Additional hunter and jumper rings at the far end of the racetrack have also been transformed, once again utilizing Wordley Martin’s design and footing expertise. With more than 400,000 square feet of renovated riding surfaces, horses and riders of all levels will be able to compete like the champions they are.
COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE
Come for the horse show and stay for everything else! Part of what makes the 2024 HITS Ocala Holiday Series and 2025 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit the best season yet is the overall experience of being at HITS Post Time Farm. That means lots of fun and exciting activities outside of the competition arena for the whole barn team and families to enjoy.
Browse the amazing shopportunities with improvements to the Vendor Courtyard. Whether you’re picking up something for you, your horse, or your friends and family, find what you need among the numerous vendors.
Truly, the best thing about being at a show is who you get to enjoy it with. HITS brings the whole squad together with endless events, including fire pit gatherings, movie nights, complementary brunches and lunches, live music in the Exhibitor Tent, and so much more.
WHERE TO EAT, STAY & PLAY
EAT
Archie’s Woodfire Pizza
Located on Route 27 only minutes from HITS, Archie’s is a food truck restaurant with full menu, outdoor patio seating, drinks menu, daily happy hours, and online ordering.
16475 NW US Hwy 27, Williston (352) 234-6119
Ivy on the Square
For a taste of southern cuisine with modern flare and a great cocktail menu, visit Ivy on the Square.
53 South Magnolia Ave, Ocala (352) 622-5550
Katya Vineyards
Special Occasion? Visit the restaurant in Ocala’s historic square for gourmet meals and fine wine.
11 E. Silver Springs Blvd, Ocala (352) 528-2675
La Hacienda
Looking for authentic Mexican? Don’t let the storefront location and lack of website deter you. La Hacienda is a hidden gem, located close by on Route 40.
4185 FL-40, Ocala (352) 512-0746
STAY
Courtyard
Courtyard has everything you need to make the most of your stay.
3712 SW 38th Ave | (352) 237-8000
Equus Inn
Every room has been curated with comfort and style in mind.
434 SW College Rd | (352) 854-3200
Hilton
The team at the Hilton Ocala are the equestrian hospitality experts.
3600 SW 36th Ave | (352) 854-1400
Residence Inn
Settle in for a short or extended stay at the Residence Inn Ocala.
3610 SW 38th Ave | (352) 547-1600
Ocala Downtown Market
Wild Bill’s Airboat Tours
Check out Wild Bill’s for incredible wildlife combined with heart pounding river action!
12430 E. Gulf to Lake Hwy, Inverness (352) 726-6060
Have a little free time on Saturday? Open 9 am to 2 pm every Saturday, the Ocala Downtown Market features a diverse array of farmers, artisans, craftspeople, and food trucks selling their products in a beautiful open-air Market Pavilion.
SE 3rd St & SE 3rd Ave downtown Ocala (352) 629-8051
Marion County Hiking & Nature Preserves
Live Music in Gainesville
Gainesville is closer than you think and has multiple live music venues, both indoor and out. Check out the link below for more information and upcoming shows.
Visit VisitGainesville.com for more information.
See alligators, wild horses, birds, and more in the many Marion County nature preserves offering walking, hiking, and biking for the whole family.
Brian Feigus & Four Aces
HITS Ocala is thrilled to once again offer numerous elite hunter classes throughout the 2024/2025 season, including the exciting new ClipMyHorse.tv Hunter Classic series.
There are six $5,000 ClipMyHorse.tv Hunter Classic Qualifiers this season, from which the top three finishers of each automatically advance to the $200,000 ClipMyHorse.tv Hunter Classic Final. They will join 2024 Finals winner Brian Feigus, who is prequalified for 2025, to contest for the top prize during HITS Championship week at HITS Hudson Valley later in September. Qualifying opportunities include three classes at HITS Ocala, occurring during Ocala Holiday Classic, Ocala Winter Classic, and Ocala Winter Celebration, as well as one chance at HITS Del Mar, and two more at HITS Hudson Valley. HITS Chief Customer Officer Joe Norick described the new class as the “future of the 3’6” division” and “a new way to showcase hunters.”
The addition of this innovative series, unique to HITS, completes an already exciting lineup of hunter offerings at HITS Ocala, including three WCHR weeks, three USHJA International Hunter Derbies, 12 USHJA National Hunter Derbies, and three USHJA Pony Hunter Derbies.
The multiple top-level derby events, special hunter ring atmosphere, and quality of competition throughout the HITS Ocala season has elevated the overall experience for hunter riders.
EXCITING HUNTER HIGHLIGHTS
AT HITS OCALA
“I love this ring,” enthused Feigus of the Main Hunter Arena at HITS Ocala. “I think it’s the best hunter ring in the country. I love the trees; I love the atmosphere. HITS has done a great job with the new updates.”
In 2024, Brian Feigus and Marita Zuraitis’s Four Aces, were repeat winners during the action-packed 2024 hunter season at HITS Ocala and won the inaugural $100,000 ClipMyHorse.tv Hunter Classic Final at HITS Hudson Valley in September.
Renowned for its cutting-edge technology, the Stephex Horsetrucks are poised to redefine equine travel in the USA. Should an STX Van take you home to HITS?
Stephex is more than a name in the global equestrian community. The STX family demonstrates excellence and innovation in its endeavors ranging from breeding, development, and sales of top-tier sport horses to mobile homes and horse trucks.
STX’s pursuit for excellence now includes a strategic partnership with HITS, and we are proud to work with STX as their unrivaled European legacy unfolds in the USA.
In addition to providing a state-of-the-art STX van as the HITS horse ambulance, STX sponsors the exciting weekly STX $15,000 Open Speed Series. Along with generous weekly prize money, STX sponsors a leading rider award at all HITS venues. At the end of each circuit, the leading rider wins an exclusive STX Tack Box, a stylish piece of equestrian equipment that is in high demand.
New in 2025, STX is offering a National Leading Rider Award based on cumulative points collected in the STX Open Speed during the 2025 season at any HITS show. The 2025 STX National Leading Rider will be awarded a six-month lease on an STX 2-Horse truck! LEARN MORE b
THE LEAGUE
The League, presented by Marshall & Sterling Insurance, provides a competitive experience at premier venues for riders of all levels with diverse class offerings. In addition to accumulating points throughout the season toward year-end prizes, The League culminates with a national Finals at HITS Hudson Valley that delivers the unique experience of competing at a prestigious championship event with all the excitement and hospitality to celebrate these talented athletes.
The League includes [26] divisions with fence heights ranging from 2’ to 3’6” across hunters, jumpers, and equitation. Feature classes include various hunter derbies, such as the Tiny Bit O’ 2’ Hunter Derby and the Bit O’ Straw 2’6” Hunter Derby, as well as the all-new Low Child/Adult Hunter Classic and two additional Junior/Amateur Jumper Classics - the 1.05m and the .90m.
NEW IN 2025
○ More Special Competitions: In addition to The League Finals at HITS Hudson Valley in September, get ready for a Florida Festival in April at HITS Ocala, as well as an all-new Spring Kickoff in May at HITS Hudson Valley.
○ More Divisions: Itty Bitty Jumpers .65m, Intermediate Child/Adult Jumpers .80m, Pony Jumpers .70m/.80m/.90m, and Pre Child/Adult Hunters 2’ join the roster of sanctioned divisions in 2025.
○ More Recognition: Earn recognition for your yearlong accomplishments with Zone awards for all sanctioned divisions. Plus, Trainer and Barn Awards will celebrate the top professionals at The League Finals in 2025.
SAKS FIFTH AVENUE
Saks Fifth Avenue is the epitome of style, fashion, and customer service. By partnering with Saks to initiate the Saks Style of Riding Award, HITS reaffirms its commitment to elevating the customer experience, as well as recognizing and honoring amateur riders.
HITS UNIVERSITY
In 2024, HITS proudly launched “HITS University,” a program that seeks to provide ongoing educational resources to the equestrian community.
Educational Programming: HITS University endeavors to bolster existing educational programs by hosting riding and judging clinics, as well as through in-person educational forums featuring several esteemed officials.
Aspiring Officials: High quality, qualified licensed officials, including judges and stewards, are the backbone of each day of horse show competition. In recognition of this, HITS U supports aspiring officials as they work toward their USEF licensing requirements, primarily by helping to coordinate apprenticeship hours for selected applicants.
Financial Support: HITS U offers an annual grant to help individuals in their pursuit of USEF licensing.
Video Content: Keep an eye out for more short educational videos on a variety of helpful and relatable topics coming soon!
Follow HITS U on Instagram: @HITS_University and visit HITS U online for more information, including the HITS University application and details pertaining to the licensing grant: HITSShows.com/HITS-University.
A PROGRAM SEEKING TO PROVIDE ONGOING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE GROUP
Long-term HITS partner and generous sponsor of Grand Prix events over the years. Great American understands risk and understands horses.
GO RENTALS
Servicing 180+ locations nationwide, including your favorite HITS horse shows, and expanding to new destinations every month.
HITS’s new partnership with Equestrian Gardens has helped create a more beautiful, stylish, and tranquil environment for exhibitors through thoughtfully designed garden transformations in our community spaces and lounges.
ARION SELLIER
HITS is thrilled to welcome Arion Sellier as a new sponsor in 2024. Arion’s commitment to top-quality products, including completely custom saddles, luxury tack, and key accessories, aligns with HITS’s commitment to excellence in all aspects of the horse show experience.
MARSHALL & STERLING
HITS’s is proud of its long-term partnership with Marshall & Sterling, which understands the unique needs of HITS’ equestrian clients. For 2025, HITS is proud to revitalize The League, which is sponsored by Marshall and Sterling.
CWD
A national HITS sponsor, CWD provides tack for all your horse and rider needs. At CWD, sport and performance are an obsession. The team at HITS can relate!
CORE SPECIALTY
Core Specialty Equine knows horses. With over 100 years of combined experience as fellow horse owners, breeders, and competitors, Core Specialty appreciates an individualized approach to care and treatment.
HITS SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS
It was an incredible season of equestrian excellence across our five summer venues — HITS Chicago, HITS Culpeper, HITS Del Mar, HITS Hudson Valley, and HITS Vermont. From the dazzling trips in the hunter rings to the exciting jump-offs in the jumper arenas, the precise equitation medals, and captivating dressage performances, we were thrilled to host more horses and riders than ever before. Check out some of our favorite highlights!
CULPEPER
HITS Culpeper in Culpeper, Virginia, held six exciting weeks of competition, plus four VHSA & The League Shows, from April 13 to September 29. Throughout the season, HITS Commonwealth Park served as a hotbed for talent ranging from grassroots competitors to formidable grand prix and hunter derby combinations.
VERMONT
The 2024 HITS Vermont Summer Festival delivered six amazing weeks of fun in the mountains of Manchester, Vermont, from July 3 to August 11. With incredible exhibitor parties and unique onsite activities, it was definitely a summer to remember! Derbies set between the main hunter arenas showcased top professionals like 2004 Olympic Games U.S. team gold medalist Peter Wylde, as well as notable names including Shane Powell and Jennifer Wright. The weekly grands prix also included an impressive international field of athletes, such as top Irish rider Christian Coyle, pictured, 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ U.S. team gold medalist Devin Ryan, 2000 Olympic Games Swiss team silver medalist Beat Mändli, and New Zealand Olympian Kirk Webby.
“We’ve been coming to the HITS Vermont Summer Festival for years. It’s such a fun show. The grounds are beautiful, it’s laidback, and it suits everyone really well. We love it because the kids can show their ponies, I can bring the grand prix horses, my clients enjoy being here, and it’s very professionally run.” –Christian Coyle (IRL) pictured right
WE’VE BEEN COMING TO THE HITS VERMONT SUMMER FESTIVAL FOR YEARS.
THE FACILITIES ARE JUST FANTASTIC.
CHICAGO
HITS Chicago in Wayne, Illinois, was the most action-packed summer venue, with more competition weeks than any other HITS facility from May 8 to September 15. During hunter/jumper weeks, numerous USHJA International and National Hunter derbies brought some of the discipline’s biggest names to the HITS Lamplight Equestrian Center week after week, including Jennifer Alfano, pictured, and Ryan Sassmannhausen. HITS Chicago was also the destination for top dressage action, highlighted by the 2024 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions. Performances from 2021 Olympic Games U.S. team silver medalist and 2015 Pan American Games U.S. team gold medalist Sabine Schut-Kery, pictured, USET Foundation’s 2023 Lionel Guerrand-Hermès Trophy winner Christian Simonson, and the legendary Willy Arts dazzled throughout the star-studded week.
“It’s always such a pleasure and an honor to ride at HITS Chicago and in the HITS series. The facilities are just fantastic. The footing is so amazing, as is the stabling, which are the two most key elements, so it’s a really nice show series.” –Sabine Schut-Kery pictured left
“We’ve been coming here for a long time, and it’s a great facility. The rings are beautiful, and they do a nice job with organizing everything. It’s a fun town, and we enjoy coming here every summer.” –Jennifer Alfano pictured below
DEL MAR
Over on the West Coast at HITS Del Mar in Del Mar, California, it was a banner season. The 75th Annual Del Mar National Show kicked things off on May 1, and two weeks of international CSI2* show jumping closed out the Endless Summer Jumping Tour on September 1. In between, it was the junior riders that took the spotlight during the prestigious 2024 USEF Junior Hunter Finals – West, plus spectators in the world-class HITS Del Mar Ocean Club were treated to the best seats in the house for the weekly derbies and grands prix.
“I
love being here in Del Mar. The grass field is phenomenal, and I think it’s one of the best show environments in the country as far as how unique it is.” –Shawn Casady (USA)
“HITS has made a great investment in this facility. The competition rings and warm-ups are excellent, and the jumps are beautiful. I wanted to simulate championship conditions over smaller fences as our last training before heading to Paris, so HITS Hudson Valley was the perfect place to do that.” –Daniel Bluman (ISR)
HUDSON VALLEY
With several renovated arenas, courtesy of Wordley Martin, and numerous facility upgrades, HITS Hudson Valley was the place to be from May 22 to September 8. A WCHR week, a new CSI1*, plus a CSI2*, three weeks of CSI3* competition, a CSI4* during HITS Championship week, and the Great American Insurance Group/USDF Region 8 Dressage Championships were just some of the many highlights. With so many opportunities for riders and horses of all levels of experience, some of the sport’s best athletes descended on the premier summer horse show destination. Hunter riders such as Brian Feigus, John French, Hannah Isop, Jimmy Torano, Amanda Steege, and many more treated spectators to jaw-dropping knees-to-nose efforts and floating gaits. In the Grand Prix Stadium, it was peak sport all summer long as Olympians like Daniel Bluman (ISR) and Nayel Nassar (EGY) put the finishing touches on their 2024 Olympic Games preparations. Ultimately, from Hunter 6 to Jumper 1, and each arena in between, it was certainly the best season yet at HITS Hudson Valley.
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A HITS sponsor for years, Purina’s team of Ph.D. nutritionists develop innovative equine nutrition solutions through a combination of science and their love of horses.
PURINA
Look No Further
SOTHEBY’S
Sotheby’s reputation as a
PHOTO BY NICOLE SCHULTZ
HORSEFLIGHT
Owned and managed by equine professionals, Horseflight has been getting horses safely to their owners and to HITS shows across the country for years.
DEVER
Dever has helped HITS exhibitors, trainers, families, staff, and friends get to the ring on time for many years.
VOLTAIRE
Long-term partner with HITS, Voltaire Design offers innovative, high-end custom-made saddles to equestrians with many famed international riders in their tack.
DOVER SADDLERY
HITS is proud to offer Dover-sponsored classes and to partner with this industry expert. Dover has everything a horse and rider may need!
Our business is founded and driven by a passionate couple who share an unrelenting fascination with horses, and also happen to be family. With a wealth of horse-related experience at our disposal, we recognize the importance of both quality equipment and excellent service. Our objective is straightforward: t o offer fellow riders and their equine companions nothing but the finest. Whether it's competing in an arena or exploring picturesque trails, we guarantee to deliver the best possible experience.
More than tack, it’s a lifestyle. Your go-to mobile tack shop and the exclusive provider of HITS apparel.
FARMVET
HITS is grateful to all the businesses that keep our horses healthy. Like HITS, FarmVet knows that our animals are family.
FINISH LINE HORSE PRODUCTS
With an equine history of more than 100 years, Finish Line strives for the best so our customers can reap the benefits our horse supplements and products offer.
PYRANHA
For more than 50 years as a family-owned and -operated animal health business, Pyranha is a pioneer in insect control and the Official Fly Spray of HITS Horse Shows.
We know trust is everything for HITS customers. Keep your horse healthy and strong with Omega Alpha’s trusted line of equine supplements.
OMEGA ALPHA
Florida’s Natural Wonder
Venture into a destination of discovery and experience the hidden wonders of Ocala/Marion County. From stunning landscapes to local charm, you’ll see all the reasons why the Horse Capital of the World® is a sophisticated getaway.
HITS is so fortunate that its Post Time Farm horse show is in the beautiful Marion County, known as the horse capital of the world. The area has welcomed and supported HITS shows for decades.
To gain the winning edge, you do your part in feeding, training, and fine-tuning your horse. When it comes to nutritional supplements and health products, you trust VitaFlex® Pro.
Mowing the yard. Spreading the manure. Cutting the fields. Moving the bedding. Stacking the hay. Grading the driveway. Dragging the arena. Feeding the horses. Clearing the trails. Digging the post-holes. Transporting the tack.
You do it all, so we do too.
John Deere offers the tools and equipment you need to make your life easy and stressfree. From your backyard to your horse farm, we offer all equine members Exclusive Equine Discounts on mowers, Gator™ utility vehicles, tractors, implements, and more! The best part? Every time you use your equine discount at John Deere, a percentage of that sale goes back to the equine industry! Your horses might eat your money, but we here at John Deere like to keep it in your wallet and give some back to your passion—horses.
To learn more on how you can save up to 28% on a wide array of John Deere equipment, visit www.JohnDeere.com/Equine or call the John Deere Equine Support Center at 877-576-6872
JohnDeere.com/Equine
JOHN DEERE
We’ve been the official equipment supplier to the equine industry since 2001, but John Deere, the legendary blacksmith, fit his first horseshoe over 184 years ago. These exclusive equipment discounts are our way of letting you know horsepower continues to be our passion too.
A Resort-Style Hotel
Conveniently located at I-75 and SR
Equestrian sports are constantly evolving. The HITS team is working to exceed the expectations of all of our exhibitors.
— Joe Norick HITS Chief Customer Officer
Thank you
Thank you to our partners and photographers who contributed to the HITS Insider.
