Young talent from all corners of the country will meet at the HITS-on-the-Hudson show grounds to compete for almost $50,000 in prize money as well as a chance to earn a wild card spot in the first ever Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, coming to Saugerties this fall. The Champion Rider from each of the four sections of the Junior Hunter Final will be given a Wild Card berth in the inaugural Hunter Prix Final – a chance to compete for a record-breaking $150,000 winner’s purse.
The Championship features competition for Small Juniors 15 and Under, Large Juniors 15 and Under, Small Juniors 16-17, and Large Juniors 16-17 in the Strongid C 2X Grand Prix Stadium at HITS-on-the-Hudson.
The Championships will also feature the prestigious USHJA/Essex Classics Hunterdon Equitation Cup Classic. Since its inception, the Hunterdon Cup has grown in importance and has become one of the most coveted titles for junior equitation riders. Equitation classes will consist of the USEF/Pessoa Hunter Seat Medal, the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Class and the WIHS Equitation Classic.
HITS will roll out the red carpet for the championships and will treat these up-and-coming equestrian stars VIP treatment with gourmet catering. Giuseppe Napoli, Executive Chef at the new Diamond Mills Hotel scheduled to open in Saugerties this fall, will spearhead the catering efforts.
“I am very excited to play a key role in such a horse show,” said Napoli. “This will be a prime opportunity for HITS customers to sample a taste of the Diamond Mills Hotel. It will also be a prelude to us catering the VIP events during the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix and Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final.”
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. HITS will once again offer the most innovative weekend in show jumping history in 2011 when it hosts the second annual Pfizer Million and the inaugural Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, September 10-11, at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York.
For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com. Stay connected with HITS, join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.