Wordley Martin Begins Phase Two of Renovations at HITS Ocala Post Time Farm

Wordley Martin is proud to have begun construction on phase two of the arena renovations at the prestigious HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, FL, venue of the popular HITS Ocala Winter Circuit. Wordley Martin is a leading developer of equestrian properties and premier riding surfaces, offering full-service bespoke equestrian facility planning.

This new project at HITS Post Time Farm follows the successful completion of phase one of the large-scale renovation project in January 2023 that included complete design overhauls of both the Grand Prix Arena and Main Hunter Arena — which preserved the venue’s two iconic granddaddy oak trees — and their corresponding warm-up rings, where Wordley Martin’s footing was also installed. Phase two adds further upgrades to the property ahead of the winter 2025 season, including the renovation of hunter and jumper rings at the far end of the racetrack.

Earlier in 2024, Wordley Martin also designed and built new arenas at the high-profile HITS Hudson Valley showgrounds in Saugerties, NY, to rave reviews.

“The best hunter ring in the country”

Top hunter/jumper rider and trainer Brian Feigus has been extremely impressed by what he has seen and felt of Wordley Martin arenas at both HITS facilities.

“They did an amazing job at Hudson Valley and Ocala,” he said. “The Main Hunter Arena in Ocala has always been one of my favorites with the trees, and now, with the new footing, it’s a 10 out of 10. For me, it’s the best hunter ring in the country.

“Often one of the biggest issues at shows is being able to warm up well, as warm-ups tend not to be as good as the show rings, but now it is perfect at HITS Ocala — it’s as good as the show ring itself. The footing rides so well. The horses feel so light on it, and they can open up their stride and jump off it with confidence. Riding in a ring and atmosphere like that is why we all do this,” he added.

Feigus is delighted that Wordley Martin will upgrade more arenas at HITS Post Time Farm.

“It makes me beyond happy because it’s not just us professionals who will benefit from this, but our clients and their horses, too,” he concluded. “I’m very excited for the second phase; it’s going to make everyone that much happier, and it will feel that much more special to be there.”

U.S. Olympic shortlisted show jumper Aaron Vale agreed that the improvements have elevated the experience of competing at the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit, and said, “What they did was a huge upgrade that improved the conditions dramatically, and it puts HITS Ocala on par with other top facilities in the country. I have some horses that really seem to like it there.”

He continued, “It’s a nice, forgiving surface to compete on, and the arenas handled any weather that came along. It’s top class, and the horses jumped super on it.

“They did a beautiful job of the edges and dressing everything up, too,” added Vale. “All together, the improvements that have happened already make it a fancy venue for competing. You always prefer if you can prepare on the same footing that you’re about to compete on, so having that same surface in the warm-up rings for the horses to get comfortable on is certainly appreciated. We’re planning on doing some more showing there, for sure.”

As grand prix-level riders themselves, Wordley Martin co-owners Sharn Wordley and Craig Martin fully understand the requirements for a modern equestrian sports venue. They have used their extensive experience and knowledge to design and install hundreds of arenas, including for Olympians, with their world-class surfaces.

Wordley Martin is more than just a footing installer, helping clients through every stage of the process of realizing their dream facility, from the initial designs, through site work, construction, and maintenance. They help clients map out and build full facilities and work as part of the Equine Design and Development Collective (EDDC) to provide a variety of additional services for equestrians and their farms.

About HITS
For more than 40 years, HITS has established itself as an industry leader and the largest producer of hunter/jumper horse shows in the United States. HITS revolutionized the industry when it produced three of the then-richest grands prix in the world. By the numbers, HITS operates six venues; 60 weeks of sanctioned hunter/jumper competitions; six weeks of dressage events; and 65,000 horses are expected to compete in 2023. Based in the Village of Saugerties, New York, HITS is a national company producing horse shows in Ocala, Florida; Culpeper, Virginia; Wayne, Illinois; East Dorset, Vermont; Saugerties, New York, and Del Mar, California. Find out more at www.HitsShows.com.

About Wordley Martin

Wordley Martin provides equestrian arena architecture, construction, installation, and footing products to create a personalized, ideal riding environment. Founded by international grand prix riders Sharn Wordley and Craig Martin, Wordley Martin has installed more than 450 arenas throughout the United States and has become the choice of top athletes and owners from the Olympic disciplines of jumping, eventing, and dressage who value Wordley Martin’s exceptionally high standard of execution. Wordley Martin offers a complete bespoke planning, design, and construction service, from private farms to large-scale commercial equestrian facilities. They also work with the Equine Design and Development Collective (EDDC) to offer additional services. Learn more at www.WordleyMartin.com.