The site plan for the new HITS Desert Circuit facility was unveiled Saturday night at a by-invitation-only party next to the Grand Prix field in Indio. People attending the party learned not only of the site plans, but the dreams and goals of the people building it. Seems with the change of location, HITS Indio is headed for big exciting changes in lots of other ways.
The new facility will be built on 250 acres about 6.2 miles south and east of the current Indio show grounds. The land will be under a 30 year sub lease from Desert Resorts Aviation, LLC who holds the main lease on the land from the county of Riverside. HITS will also have an option to extend that lease following the 30 years. Thermal is the nearest town and is quite small but that does not diminish their excitement and anticipation for the changes heading their way within the year. HITS Desert Circuit will hold their 2007 shows at the new facility.
George Morris shared his dreams and goals of someday hopefully having Trials for Olympic and International Teams at this facility on the West Coast. He said it would have to “wait a couple of years or so” since any new facility needs to be “tested two or three times.”
“You can’t risk something on a facility that hasn’t been tested two or three times” he said from the stage as he spoke to the audience. He also expressed his thoughts on the California Icon Jimmy Williams. “It was a magical time in our industry” said Morris in his melodic, baritone, booming voice. “So many many students and protégés of Jimmy stand in this room and are among the top trainers anywhere in the country.” He went on to name Robert Ridland as “one of the most influential and powerful” men in the industry and said he will be instrumental in the future of show jumping for the United States. George then explained that he had “hand selected Bernie Traurig to be his West Coast Co-Chef de Equipe” so they can work together and cover the entire country.
George dropped his voice and leveled his gaze and the room got VERY quiet as he went into his feelings about High Performance Athletes. “It is the responsibility of the High Performance Athletes to “pull up the base” of our sport and give back “to those coming along.” He explained that there was a time when Bert deNemethy, Gordon Wright and others had committed themselves to helping the “young up and comers” and that is where George, Rodney, Michael Matz and others had help in their younger years. He said that “this generation must carry the same responsibility.”
He then stated that in order to have the High Performance programs it is important to develop other programs for the base of our sport first. He then said that all of that costs money and “that is why all of you are here,” and the crowd clapped and laughed. He said it takes a lot of money as well as fundraising and financially committed supporters are the only thing that will support the Olympic and International dreams of the United States. And he then introduced Bonnie Jenkins who spoke for a few minutes followed by a couple of other speakers. Tom Struzzieri gave a very short welcome introduction and the drapes were dropped on the huge plans that stood in the corner.
The plans are impressive but quite simple. One board had the main plans, one had a rendering of the horse bridge that will go across the main entrance road, and the third board has artist drawings of barns and buildings. All three boards are concise, clear and easy to read…let’s hope the actual facility ends up that way.
Some of the “new” things:
Roads paved with brick.
Extensive landscaping and green areas.
Permanent stabling for about 1000 horses, tents for 2000 more
Blacksmith shop
12 show rings and 11 warm up areas
Permanent VIP pavilion
A LARGE Restaurant
Permanent buildings for vendors
Permanent Horse Show office building with Computer hookups
Camper parking for 100 permanent spots
Permanent Veterinarian building
Separate lunging areas
AND THE LIST GOES ON.
John Eichman, national marketing director for HITS, said the organization has plans to expand the horse show circuit for another couple of weeks in the near future. The longer circuit would provide opportunities for sponsorship, larger prize money, more extended programs as well as bringing more money into the financial base of the Indio/Thermal area. The 6 week series brings about $121,000,000.00 ($121 MILLION) into the local area and helps the desert economy. Thermal thinks it has hit the Lottery!!!!
George, Tom, Bonnie and the staff of HITS remained in the party tent answering questions, explaining their goals and dreams, visiting with just about everyone there. As long as there were people asking for information, they stayed…and they stayed…and they stayed.
As we stepped into today on the current Indio show grounds, the facility no longer looked tired…it looked well used. It no longer seemed to be bursting at the seems…it looked full and growing. It no longer seemed to be a frantic place…it seemed to be busy. It no longer screamed at us to be careful……..it asked us to slow down.
The office no longer looks old and used up…it looks well lived in and worn by people who have come through. The rings no longer look inadequate…they look functional.
The bumpy main road through the facility, overflowing with horses, riders, parents, bicycles, golf carts, mothers with baby strollers, fathers following their kids, children running from ring to ring, water trucks, tractors with arena drags seems to be functioning right along and we will all survive till the last day next week.
And today, in the middle of all of this, is Tom Struzzieri and Brian Morris, walking from one end of the place to the other…and then turning around and walking back again. Looking for things to help with, asking back gate and ring crew if there is anything they need, saying a quick hello and picking up trash that is still laying around from our terrible wind storm yesterday. You wouldn’t know to watch them today that because of Struzzieri, West Coast showing took a turn into the future last night…….and quite a future it will be.
Looks Like a Great Facility
John Redfern - March 5th, 2006 at 10:31 amYou must be logged in to post a comment.