Thermal, CA — HITS, Inc. is pleased to announce that it has received unanimous approval from the USEF Discipline Committee, the USEF Executive Committee, and the FEI to offer four CSI2*-W World Cup Qualifiers at the 2012 HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, CA
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“We are happy to continue our 20-year tradition of hosting World Cup Qualifiers at the HITS Desert Circuit,” said Tom Struzzieri, HITS President and CEO. “The four World Cup Qualifiers held in Thermal attract great interest from exhibitors and spectators alike, and are often crucial in helping to shape the makeup of both the United States and Canadian teams for the World Cup Finals in April. Having those events at the horse show creates a highly-competitive atmosphere and really adds to the flavor of the Circuit.”

The 2012 HITS Desert Circuit will begin on Tuesday, January 24, at the spacious and beautiful HITS Desert Horse Park and will feature six weeks of competition and 16 Grand Prix. HITS will continue to offer three Grand Prix each of the four World Cup weeks with an FEI Welcome Classic on Thursday nights, a CSI*2-W Grand Prix on Saturday nights, and a Grand Prix on Sunday afternoons. The Thursday night and Saturday night FEI events will be held in HITS’ popular Indoor arena, while the Sunday Grand Prix will be held outdoors in the spacious Strongid C 2X Stadium.

At the 2011 HITS Desert Circuit each of the four World Cup Qualifiers, which were also qualifiers for this year’s Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix, took place before completely sold-out crowds in both the Charles Owen VIP area and the general admission seating. The Indoor arena is long and narrow which lends itself nicely to dynamic courses with tight turns, similar to the conditions riders experience at the World Cup Finals.

“This is good news for West Coast riders and our sport in general,” said Joie Gatlin, who owns and operates Joie Gatlin - Morley Abey Show Jumping, Inc. with her husband Morley out of San Juan Capistrano, CA. “The atmosphere in that covered arena is positively electric. Speaking from my own experience of having taken full advantage of the HITS Desert Circuit to prepare and qualify for the World Cup Finals in the past, it was incredible to have the opportunity to practice in an environment so similar to what you encounter at the World Cup Finals. I believe that having these classes, and the Indoor competition experience, at HITS in the winter has contributed greatly to the success of West Coast riders; not only in their quest to qualify, but also in their performance at the World Cup Finals.”

As a member of the HITS Desert Circuit Trainer Committee, Gatlin appreciates the many details that go into making the FEI World Cup Qualifiers at HITS so popular with both riders and, more recently, a growing and supportive audience of spectators. “Everything about the World Cup Qualifiers at HITS has become more and more special. From a rider’s standpoint there’s great footing, nice jumps and beautiful courses, everything you need to get ready for competing at the Finals. From a spectator standpoint, I think the next thing we need to figure out is how to get more seating in there! Charles Owen did a beautiful job of supporting the World Cup classes for the VIP audience this past year and the general admission seating for the general public was so popular that there were hardly enough seats. As a rider, there’s nothing better than competing in front of a supporting and lively audience. We love that!”
In addition to the two weekly FEI classes, the Indoor arena at the HITS Desert Horse Park is also home to an assortment of Open Jumper and Equitation classes that provide additional opportunities for a wider audience of riders and horses to gain experience and exposure to the indoor-competition setting.

The complete 2012 HITS Desert Circuit schedule and class listing is currently in development; however, the 2012 HITS Desert Circuit FEI World Cup Schedule is as follows:

DC I: January 24-29
DC II: January 31 - February 5 – CSI*2-W
DC III: February 7-12 – CSI*2-W

DC IV: February 21-26 – CSI*2-W
DC V: February 28 - March 4 – CSI*2-W
DC VI: March 6-11

The 2012 HITS Desert Circuit Prize list will be available in the early fall. To request a copy, please visit http://www.HitsShows.com.

ENDS