The 2010 HITS Saugerties Spring and Summer Series is just around the corner and HITS is preparing to welcome exhibitors, spectators and sponsors to the fabulously renovated venue in Saugerties, NY. The Spring Series of horse shows at HITS-on-the-Hudson begins on Wednesday, May 26, with HITS-on-the-Hudson I and continues for three consecutive, action-packed weeks until Sunday, June 13.

Each year HITS Saugerties attracts riders from every corner of the country thanks to its central location in the North East and its outstanding facilities, competition offerings and prize money. This season, exhibitors will enjoy the luxuries provided by fantastic footing and property enhancements, as well as the thrill and excitement of the upcoming Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix on September 12, 2010.

HITS Saugerties will be home to 14 of the 18 remaining Pfizer Million Qualifiers and offers more prize money and opportunity than ever before. Many of the world's top riders are already gearing up for the first series of three shows, which will feature six Pfizer Million Qualifiers and a total of $325,000 in Grand Prix prize money. HITS-on-the-Hudson I offers $75,000 in Grand Prix prize money, followed by HITS-on-the-Hudson II, which has $100,000 in Grand Prix prize money, and the final week of the Spring Series, HITS-on-the-Hudson III, gives riders the opportunity to take advantage of $150,000 over two Pfizer Million Qualifiers—all in one week! The excitement begins on Friday, June 11, 2010, with the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, followed by the $125,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, on Sunday, June 13, 2010.

With the shows just about two weeks away now, entries are strong with a mix of both returning and new exhibitors. In fact, at the current rate the spring series at HITS-on-the-Hudson is on track to reach numbers it has not experienced in several years.

"Each year, the Saugerties shows continue to attract more and more exhibitors," said Tom Struzzieri, HITS President and CEO. "I'm pleased to see that the diversity in our schedule has attracted riders from all levels and it's clear that the Devoucoux Derby and the Pfizer Million continue to be on everyone's radar. The other advantage we enjoy here is our central location in the North East. We are perfectly situated for the summer schedule and for the exhibitors who live and work in the Tri-State area."

HITS Saugerties offers a remarkable amount of prize money each week throughout the series, from the $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner High Classics to $5,000 Classics for both the Junior and Amateur-Owner Medium Jumpers, to the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derbies. The all-weather footing gives riders and horses the best grounds for success throughout the facility for both the hunters and the jumpers.

Jumper riders will have their first opportunity to experience the brand new Jumper 1 this spring at HITS Saugerties. This new ring, located adjacent to the grand prix schooling area, will offer a larger riding area and will be decorated with natural obstacles, feature more dynamic jumps and will have flags and flag poles bordering the ring. The new ring will not only be aesthetically pleasing, but also a great way for young horses as well as junior and amateur riders to get a feel for what it is like to ride in the grand prix ring. Young Jumper Championship classes for the five-, six-, and seven-/eight-year-old sections will be held in the new Jumper 1, as will the Medium and Low sections and classics of the Junior and Amateur Jumper divisions, the High Children's Jumpers, and the High Adult Jumpers. The former Jumper 1 ring will become Jumper 2.

For those traveling from afar to partake in the North East's summer show season or the Pfizer Million and its respective qualifying process, the layover-stabling package offered at HITS-on-the-Hudson is second to none. Providing an affordable means to set up a 'home away from home,' HITS Saugerties has every amenity horses and riders could ask for—spacious turnout paddocks, premiere stabling, and superb footing are only the beginning of this phenomenal package.

Nestled at the foot of the Catskill Mountains on the West bank of the Hudson River, Saugerties has the ideal summer town ambiance. Those taking advantage of all that HITS Saugerties has to offer can also take advantage of the antiques, history, culture, and art just a stone's throw away from this adorable town with magnificent views that stretch from the blue foothills of the Catskill Mountains, across the serene waters of the Hudson River, and on to the green Berkshires of New England.

HITS' friendly and hospitable staff is available to assist with everything from hotels to town favorites. For more information on the HITS Saugerties Spring and Summer Series, please visit www.HitsShows.com.