Thermal, CA- January 25, 2011- Today marks the beginning of the 2011 show jumping season on the West Coast, as exhibitors from around the world are flocking to Southern California to participate in world-class equestrian competition at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA.

This season will be extra special as the HITS is celebrating its 20th Anniversary of hosting world-class equestrian competition in the Coachella Valley.

"We are looking forward to showing in the desert," said HITS Desert Circuit veteran Morley Abby. "There is no better way to kick off the season than showing for six weeks at the premier venue on the West Coast. I was excited to hear that all of the permanent stalls are sold out this year. That speaks volumes for the resurgence of the economy in California."

Trainer Mark Bone will be spending his 15th season at the HITS Desert Circuit and is looking forward to another tremendous year. "It's the perfect way to start off the year," said Bone, who operates Huntover out of Thousand Oaks, CA. "Right now, we are scheduled to be here for the first three weeks, but our clients have already started to talk about making plans for the second half of the circuit. We have a great group of clients and they love it here."

Desert Circuit I pulls the trigger for six weeks of action-packed show jumping at HITS Thermal. Highlighting the competition this week for High-Performance riders are Friday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and Sunday's $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. Both classes will serve as crucial qualifiers for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix that will take place at HITS-on-the-Hudson, on September 11. The 2011 HITS Desert Circuit will host a total of 16 Qualifying Grand Prix classes for the highly-anticipated Pfizer Million.

In addition, HITS Thermal also offers four FEI World Cup Qualifiers during Weeks II, III, IV and V, which has been attracting lots of interest from international riders, including three-time FEI World Cup Champion Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum who is scheduled to make her first appearance at the HITS Desert Circuit. For the finale, HITS Thermal will close out the season with the $200,000 Lamborghini Grand Prix of the Desert, presented by Lamborghini of Newport Beach, on March 13. Part of HITS’ Horsepower Weekend, this is the second year in a row that Lamborghinis will make their appearance at the Thermal horse show facility. This year they will be joined by a week-long display of Pilatus turbo-prop aircraft.

For Hunter riders the stakes are higher than ever before as HITS Thermal will host six Devoucoux Hunter Prix Qualifiers for the all-new Diamond Mills $500,000 3’3” Hunter Prix Final, which will take place September 10-11 in Saugerties, NY, as part of the Pfizer Million Weekend. The Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final offers the richest Hunter purse in the history of the sport. The first opportunity to earn qualifying points for this unprecedented Hunter Prix Final takes place on Sunday during the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix. In all, HITS Thermal will host six qualifying Devoucoux Hunter Prix for the Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final, including the $25,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix which will take place on March 12.

"That kind of prize money is unreal," said top hunter rider John French. "I will be in Saugerties in September for the big class without a doubt."

The 2011 HITS Desert Circuit also offers lots of fun outside of the ring including the inaugural Horse Power Weekend capping off the circuit during Desert Circuit VI. The electric weekend will boast Lamborghinis and Pilatus Aircrafts lining the Grand Prix Arena as the best jumpers show their horsepower.

For complete results from today's competition, visit http://hits.showjumping.tv/thermal/.

ENDS