The HITS team will be addressing environmental requirements to ensure that California’s Del Mar Horse Showpark can reopen in 2023.
“The California horsemen have an incredible jewel at the Del Mar Showpark, right in the heart of such a vibrant successful community,” noted Tom Struzzieri, HITS CEO.
“Because of the great interest and concern of local citizens, Showpark has been allowed to reopen and deliver an extraordinary product to California. It goes without saying that no expense will be spared when it comes to improving the facility so that it not only conforms, but exceeds, the environmental requirements”.
He added, “It is my belief that the bones of the Del Mar Showpark will set the stage for a new HITS flagship on the West Coast after improvements to riding areas, stabling areas, and the food and beverage experiences.”
As well as staging seven hunter/jumper competitions from July into October, HITS also plans to run three dressage competitions in January, February and March.
The newest addition to the Del Mar Horse Showpark will be the expansion of facility rentals. One of the underutilized improvements at the Showpark is the covered ring. HITS plans to reinvent that building, creating an event hall that can be used to highlight and host not only hunter and jumper competitions, but many different breed events and finals.
HITS stepped into the Showpark picture after West Palms Events announced it could not reach an agreement with the 22nd District Agriculture Association to operate the 63-acre park.
“With only a five-year guaranteed contract, we were not able to come to an agreement that worked for us,” said Dale Harvey, president and CEO of West Palms Events.
At the end of the 2020 season, the 22nd DAA temporarily closed the park due to the impact of Covid and the need to complete costly stormwater mitigation on the property. In late 2021, a Request for Proposal was released and it received two bids —one of which was West Palms Events; the other was HITS. When West Palms stepped aside, HITS stepped in.