Thermal, CA – June 30, 2008 – Since the close of the 2008 HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, CA, the management team of the horse show has been working diligently to make improvements and renovations to the facility. It is now seven months before the 2009 winter show season, and HITS is pleased to announce some of the changes that they have made to their successful show facility.
One of the most notable improvements that will be made in 2009 are new tent stalls that HITS has invested in. They are constructed of wood and steel dividers, which are superior to many of the vinyl stalls used today. Exhibitors in Saugerties, New York were the first to experience the new stalls and response was overwhelmingly positive, with many exhibitors noting that the new design allows for more comfort for the horses and better ventilation. The addition of these stalls gives HITS more than 3,000 available stalls at the HITS Desert Horse Park.
A new berm will be added to the property this coming November alongside the entire west end of the property, which will help block wind from the show grounds and the RV area. This will aid in keeping dust down for the rings and stabling areas. Landscaping has been added around the facility, which is another deterrent to wind and dust. HITS hired a desert landscaper, who helped to identify plants that would thrive in the dry desert ground, and new plantings will also help to dress up the front office and other areas throughout the show grounds.
Inside of the rings, HITS will once again feature the beautiful jumps custom designed by Olaf Petersen especially for HITS. The Grand Prix ring will once again feature the oversized jumps, which are perfectly suited for that arena. As for course decorations, HITS has invited 2008 Olympic Course Decorator Flora Baptiston to decorate for the 2009 HITS Desert Circuit. Baptiston spent the winter in Ocala and the spring in Saugerties, before heading off to Hong Kong for the 2008 Olympics.
Many of these improvements have been made through suggestions made by exhibitors and trainers at last year’s shows. HITS has a committee that they work with in order to find the most salient ideas to upgrade the facility. The committee will also be tapped for ideas on the 2009 HITS Desert Circuit prize list, which is in the early stages of development.
Working with this committee is Dale Harvey, who is a part of the HITS West Coast Management Team. He is a technical coordinator at the show and has years of experience at producing horse shows in California. 2009 will be Harvey’s second year with HITS, and he said he helps “focus on the details that separate a mediocre show from something that’s above the rest.”
Harvey pointed out that the HITS Desert Horse Park is only three years old, and improvements always need to be made to horse show facilities. “As you develop a facility of that size and caliber, it’s a long process that takes many, many years to really be completed, to where you could actually say it’s finished,” he said.
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