HITS, Inc. and CEO Thomas Struzzieri announced today that the Thermal, Calif. series of horse shows and the winter circuit in Arizona have been sold so the organization can concentrate on its Ocala showgrounds in the winter.
The California series founded in 1992, fills more than 3,000 stalls in any week, and offers the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix as its feature.
“The timing of this sale is perfect for both HITS and myself. My team and I have successfully shepherded this product from just an idea to one of the largest horse show franchises in the world,” said Tom Struzzieri.
The show series were sold to a group headed by Steve Hankin, president and CEO of the Desert International Horse Park, where the Thermal series is held.
“Three ingredients made this the perfect recipe for a sale,” said Tom.
“One, it allows me to travel a bit less and spend more time with my fantastic family. Two, this allows HITS to concentrate fully in the winter on the very important HITS Ocala Circuit.” The Ocala Circuit is the oldest program in the HITS collection of shows and its facilities are also the largest, spanning 450 acres.
Tom said the sale will allow him to devote significant financial and staffing resources toward ensuring that the Ocala facility remains an essential winter hunter-jumper destination. He added his clients will now see even greater innovation at the Ocala facility.
“The Great American $1 Million Grand Prix remains the crown jewel of prize money on the East Coast and I am confident that it will only grow because of this sale,” said Tom.
The third reason for the sale, according to Tom, is his certainty that the shows in Thermal are in good hands.
“This partner group, led by Steve Hankin, is committed to continuing to offer quality events in the desert in California. They have plans to continue to improve both the property and the event to ensure a great experience for all the existing and new customers.”
Asa result of the sale, Tom will do the same in Ocala, dedicating enormous resources to his own facility.
Ocala, in central Florida, is getting to be an ever-more popular show destination. Chester Weber offers a Longines FEI World Cup qualifier at his March Live Oak show there, and the new World Equestrian Center will begin offering shows in 2021 when construction is finished at its site.
Steve Hankin noted, “The Thermal and Arizona winter circuits are centerpieces of the show schedule on the West Coast, and we look forward to building on the strong success Tom has created. Tom and his team have been incredibly supportive of efforts throughout this process. We have an enthusiastic group of California equestrians committed to supporting the sport going forward and will be announcing more about our plans soon.”