THERMAL, CA (March 6, 2026) No, you can’t land your Cessna or Citation in the Grand Prix ring at HITS, but you can come darn close! The HITS horse show venue in Thermal, California, at the east end of the Coachella Valley shares a common border with Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport. As a result, the HITS’ horse owners can now fly their personal or business aircraft into the airport, step out onto the tarmac and be less than a half mile from the Grand Prix ring at the brand new, state-of-the-art equestrian facility.
“Over the past two decades, many of our customers have flown out each weekend to either Palm Springs Airport or to Thermal,” noted Tom Struzzieri, President and CEO of HITS, Inc. “But now instead of having to drive for miles to reach the showgrounds, our new location next to the Thermal airport means that they can fly in and be ringside or at their stabling area in a matter of minutes.” During the 2007 Desert Circuit, it has been estimated that more than 50 HITS families fly into Jacqueline Cochran Airport each week.
You are invited to attend the HITS grand finale this weekend with show jumping at its finest with two added bonuses. On both Saturday and Sunday, Cessna will have a static display of personal and business jet aircraft on site at HITS and at Jacqueline Cochran airport. The Cessna fleet on display in Thermal will range from the single engine Cessna Skyhawk 172 to the Citation CJ1+ and the world’s fastest business jet, the Mach .92 Citation X.
“Cessna is pleased to be a part of the HITS Desert Circuit horse shows at the new horse park in Thermal,” said Holli McCormick, Manager of Events and Promotions for Cessna Aircraft Corporation. “Our stable of business jets is named after the legendary Triple Crown winner Citation, so you could say horses are in our blood,” she added.
In addition to the Cessna Single Engine and Citation Business Jet displays, there will be show jumping and hunter competition in twelve show rings daily culminating on Sunday afternoon with the $150,000 HITS Grand Prix of the Desert, presented by Cessna Aircraft Corporation. If that isn’t enough, Sunday also is Kids Day presented by The Desert Sun and Woodrun with a host of free activities for children from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
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