Pfizer”™s second annual $1million Grand Prix proved to be a winner again for Tom Struzzieri, Horse Shows In The Sun”™s president and CEO.
Top equestrians paired equine finesse with human skill to compete during the event held Sept. 11 at HITS in Saugerties.
Forty-five horse-and-rider-combinations challenged Olympic course designer Steve Stephens first-round track. “I was in the Super League for the past two months and this is one of the biggest courses I have walked this year,” one rider, Charlie Jayne, said in a statement. Germany”™s Andre Thieme received the $350,000 winner”™s check this year.
A live webcast attracted more than 131,000 visits from 56 countries, with 82 percent of views coming from the United States, according to Stuart Meikle, marketing director for the equine division at Pfizer Animal Health. “Our goal is to connect horses and people. We would love to see it back on primetime TV, and Pfizer will be back next year if HITS will have us.”
“That”™s a definite ”˜yes”™,” said Struzzieri, who started the concept for Horse Shows in the Sun at his farm in Poughkeepsie back in 1997. Today, he”™s no longer giving riding lessons or training horses. He”™s got a successful venture, and HITS has grown from Struzzieri”™s Poughkeepsie farm to its first home in Saugerties and other HITS”™ venues in Virginia, Florida, California and Arizona.
More than 5,000 people came to the event, nearly double what the first show attracted last year, Struzzieri said. A concert by The Temptations was the grand finale when the equestrian competition ended. “Pfizer is one of our sponsors at all our locations year round, but the Grand Prix is its premiere event. Having it at Saugerties is a great boost for us and the region”™s economy. … and it is going to grow and become even more popular and bring more people to the region. …Riding is one of the most enjoyable sports and pastimes for so many all over the world.”
Struzzieri said work on the $14 million Diamond Mills project is 99 percent complete. A 30-suite boutique hotel on the grounds is one component.
“The hotel is completed, but the 400-seat ballroom and adjoining restaurant will not be completed until November….so we will open all at the same time,” he said.
The hotel has been accepted into the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group (slh.com), something the HITS”™ founder had strived for. “I wanted to bring a unique experience to our guests. Every room overlooks the waterfall … and no expense was spared in making it a one-of-a-kind experience for guests.”
Diamond Mills”™ first major booking will be the Benedictine Hospital Gala in December, “but we are filling up already, particularly when the equestrian events are scheduled. Our season typically runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day.”
Struzzieri reached out to hotel and motel owners in the area when he decided to put a boutique hotel on his property. “I wanted to assure them I am not looking to take away their business, but to enhance the appeal of HITS as a destination. When the equestrian events are going on, all the hotels see business pick up considerably … a boutique hotel on HITS”™Â grounds is incremental business for us and we are not expecting to take away anyone”™s business. I believe it will help attract more visitors to our region and help all the hotels in the area. There is so much do to and see here in Ulster and Dutchess counties.”
For a complete list of winners of the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix and upcoming events, visit HITSHorseShows.com.
