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HITS Culpeper Features
$50,000 Grand Prix Every Week & Hosts Cosequin® USGPL Finals with
$100,000 Grand Prix |
RHINEBECK, NY (March 27, 2000) - Horse Shows In
the Sun, Inc. (HITS), producer of six world class hunter/jumper horse show
circuits nationwide, has announced that the HITS Culpeper summer series of six
horse shows at Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Virginia, will feature a $50,000
Grand Prix every Sunday for the first five shows. The sixth big purse of the
season--the $100,000 Cosequin® Grand Prix--is the grand finale of the
Cosequin® U.S. Grand Prix League Invitational Finals, the last show of the
series. More than $850,000 in total prize money will be awarded at the six
events starting April 18 and finishing September 30, 2001.
HITS Culpeper offers hunter, jumper, and equitation competitions in six
all-weather rings. Competitors vie for ribbons, trophies, coolers, and prize
money in more than 270 classes at each show. Each event hosts approximately 900
to 1,300 horses accompanied by an estimated 3,000 riders, trainers, and grooms.
More than 6,000 spectators are expected to visit Commonwealth Park during this
year's series of horse shows.
The season opener is HITS I, the Commonwealth National, April 18-22, featuring
the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix. Ten weeks later, Commonwealth Park re-opens for
HITS II, the Showday National, July 4-8, highlighted by the $50,000 Rio Vista
Grand Prix, and HITS III, the Cavalier Classic, July 11-15, capped by the
$50,000 HITS Grand Prix. The Park takes a month-long break, then resumes
competition with HITS IV, the Winston National, August 15-19, and HITS V, the
Constitution Classic, August 22-26. Both shows feature a $50,000 HITS Grand
Prix. The finale for the HITS Culpeper 2001 shows is HITS VI, the Cosequin®
USGPL Invitational Finals September 26-30, featuring the $25,000 Wild Card
Grand Prix on Friday and the $100,000 Cosequin® USGPL Invitational Grand
Prix on Sunday. During the Cosequin® USGPL Finals, Commonwealth Park will
also host the $5,000 Marshall & Sterling Pony Jumper Final on Saturday, and
the Marshall & Sterling League Semi-Finals which take place throughout the
weekend.
Course designers for the Grand Prix field at this year's HITS Culpeper are:
Danny Foster, Ontario, Canada, a former show jumper who won an individual Gold
Medal and Team Silver Medal at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba, and
who is currently chairman of the Canadian Equestrian Federation's Jump Canada;
Douglas E. Russell, Wellington, Florida, a former member of the USET who
represented the U.S. in 1995 at the Pan Am Games and Monterrey, and is still an
active competitor as well as a 10-year veteran of course design; Dave Ballard,
Ontario, Canada, a former international competitor, a Senior FEI Course
Designer since 1989, Assistant Course Designer at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and
the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and Head Builder at Spruce Meadows International Ring
for 14 years, who was recently the Technical Delegate at this year's World Cup
of show jumping in Goteborg, Sweden; and Buddy Brown, Wellington, Florida, a
former Grand Prix show jumping competitor, he competed at the Pan Am Games in
Mexico City in 1975 and won the Individual Silver Medal and the Team Gold, in
1976 he competed at the Montreal Olympics, he was on the Bronze Medal Team in
Aachen, Germany in 1978, and at the 1979 Pan Am Games in Puerto Rico, he was on
the Gold Medal Team. He is currently a full-time Senior Course Designer with
the AHSA.
The 92-acre Commonwealth Park features competition Wednesday through Sunday
from 8am until approximately 4pm at all six events, plus an evening class on
Fridays. Seating is available at bleachers around the rings, in the Grand Prix
grandstand, and indoors at the Pavilion. There are two food service facilities
located on the grounds--the Showday Café and the snack bar--offering an
international menu of meals, snacks, and beverages. The Pavilion, with views of
the Grand Prix Field and the Main Hunter Ring, offers special buffets for
exhibitor parties during evening performances. The Vendor Courtyard includes
more than 20 shops offering equine-themed merchandise from tack to 14K gold
jewelry. Spectators are admitted free Wednesday through Saturday. Children
under 12 are always admitted at no charge, and parking is always free. Tickets
are $5 on Sunday with the proceeds benefiting local charities.
Selected charitable organizations in the Culpeper community are able to use the
HITS Culpeper horse shows as fundraisers. They pre-sell tickets to the Grand
Prix events and are the ticket-takers on Sundays. The charities keep 100% of
the proceeds from pre-sold tickets and receive a percentage of the gate. HITS
Culpeper not only benefits local charities, but also has an economic impact on
the surrounding communities of over $15 million.
HITS has improved the Commonwealth Park every year since purchasing the show
grounds in 1997 and continues to enhance the amenities. Last year every door of
the 900 permanent stalls on the grounds was replaced with a brand new door and
two of the hunter rings were enlarged and reconfigured to add additional riding
area. This year, refurbishing plans include new wash racks, new jump equipment,
and a new scoreboard for the Grand Prix field--the mobile, Olympics-style
Daktronics board that is used at HITS' West Coast mega-show, the Indio Desert
Circuit.
HITS Commonwealth Park is located at 13256 Commonwealth Parkway in Culpeper,
Virginia, 3.5 miles off Route 522 South. During HITS Culpeper horse shows,
telephone 540-825-7469 for more information.
HITS CULPEPER SIDEBAR INFORMATION
HITS Culpeper 2001 Show Dates:
HITS I Commonwealth National April 18-22
HITS II Showday National July 4-8
HITS III Cavalier Classic July 11-15
HITS IV Winston National August 15-19
HITS V Constitution Classic August 22-26
HITS VI Cosequin® USGPL Finals September 26-30
Featured Events:
$50,000 EMO Grand Prix Sunday, April 22 1pm
$50,000 Rio Vista Grand Prix Sunday, July 8 1pm
$50,000 HITS Grand Prix Sunday, July 15 1pm
$50,000 HITS Grand Prix Sunday, August 19 1pm
$50,000 HITS Grand Prix Sunday, August 26 1pm
$25,000 Wild Card Grand Prix Friday, September 28
Marshall & Sterling League Semi Finals Friday, September 28 and Sunday,
September 30
$5,000 Marshall & Sterling Pony Jumper Final Saturday, September 29
$25,000 Pre-Green Hunter Invitational Final
sponsored by Stillwell-Hansen & Four Winds Farm Saturday, September 29
$15,000 JR/A-O Low Invitational Final Sunday, September 30
$25,000 JR/A-O High Invitational Final Sunday, September 30
$100,000 Cosequin® Invitational Grand Prix Sunday, September 30
www.HitsShows.com
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