CULPEPER, VA (October 8, 2010) -- HITS Culpeper proudly recognized its 2010 SmartPak Circuit Champions. The HITS Culpeper show season began in April and featured six weeks of competition that culminated on Sunday, October 3, offering riders ample opportunities to accumulate points toward the coveted SmartPak Circuit Champion title.

Prior to the $40,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, the Circuit Champions and their horses were led to the Grand Prix ring for a Parade of Champions, where they were awarded with a championship ribbon and a SmartPak Circuit Champion jacket.

"I'm very happy!" exclaimed Amy Zettler of Alexandria, VA, who works for professional trainer Peter Foley, and competed at HITS Culpeper during all six competition weeks. "This is a great horse show to compete at and we had a fantastic year. The horses did a beautiful job each week and we earned a lot of great ribbons. It's one of our favorite places to go."

Zettler was Champion in the Schooling Hunter and Adult Hunter 36-45 aboard Sally McVeigh's Glad Rags, Reserve Champion in the Adult Equitation 36-45 on Glad Rags, and was crowned Grand Hunter Champion.

"Being named Grand Hunter Champion is an extremely big honor," she said. "There are so many talented hunter riders and horses that compete here. There was some tight competition in the big classes like the Derbies and the Pre-Green Hunter Classic, which we had several horses show in each week and that really made this season special. Everyone here works so hard at what they do and I'm absolutely thrilled to be recognized as Grand Hunter Champion."

Also in Hunter action, Adele Norton on her own Peregrine were Champions in the Adequan Hunter division and Avery Finkel aboard her own Cover Art finished as Reserve Champions.

HITS Horse Show Farrier and crowd-favorite John Jacques, of Connecticut, and his partner, Cruisin, looked to capture their third Circuit Champion victory in a row this year in the Adult Jumper Low division. The pair was previously crowned 2010 Antares Sellier HITS Ocala Circuit Champions and 2010 HITS Saugerties SmartPak Circuit Champions. After an impressive season at HITS Culpeper, the pair had to settle for Reserve Champion, while Samantha Williams and her own The Riddler took home the Championship honors.

High-Performance rider Gavin Moylan of The Plains, VA, had a successful season at HITS Culpeper. He earned ribbons in several $40,000 HITS Grand Prix classes, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and was crowned Champion of the Level 6 Jumpers aboard Alden Denegre's Nobilo. Denegre, of Virginia, who trains with Moylan, was Champion of the Junior/Amateur-Owner Low Jumpers aboard her own Pimpernel.

Amateur and Professional riders weren't the only ones bringing the best in show jumping. Youngsters Rachel Perry and Helen Lohr showed signs of up-and-coming superstardom in the ring. Perry was Champion in the Short Stirrup Hunter division aboard Carlee Bentley's Major Fun, and Lohr was Reserve Champion on Madeleine Lohr's Pumpkin Patch. Lohr and Pumpkin Patch were crowned Champions in the Schooling Pony Hunter division, while Perry and Major Fun were Champions of the Short Stirrup Equitation.
For a complete list of the 2010 SmartPak Circuit Champions, please click here.

The Culpeper Finals marked the end of show jumping in 2010 for HITS, Inc. All eyes now turn to the HITS Winter Circuits at Post Time Farm in Ocala, Florida, the Desert Horse Park in Thermal, California, and HITS Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. The race to qualify for the 2011 $1 Million Grand Prix on September 11, 2011 is officially underway as Sunday's Grand Prix in Culpeper was the first qualifier of the 2011 season. All riders who competed in the class picked up their first of eight Grand Prix classes needed to qualify for the Million. The next chance to qualify will be during the HITS Winter Circuits in Thermal, Ocala and Arizona.

While HITS starts to look ahead to the 2011 season and the upcoming winter show season, it has already outlined some plans for the 2011 HITS Culpeper show season, which includes new footing in the Grand Prix arena and five $1 Million Grand Prix Qualifiers.

The HITS 2011 winter show season kicks-off with the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit on January 19 and runs through March 20. On the west coast, the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, California will take place January 25, through March 13, while the HITS Arizona Winter Circuit will run six consecutive weeks from February 2, through March 13.

All HITS Winter Circuit Prize Lists will be available by mid-to-late October. To request a prize list, please visit HitsShows.com or click here.

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 took the industry to new heights when it hosted the first-ever Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix on September 12, in Saugerties, New York.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com.