Club's equestrian ambassador welcomes Chief Executive and officiating guests in Expo

12 December 2009

The Hong Kong Jockey Club's booth at the 44th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo, open in Victoria Park today (12 December), was welcomed by visitors with the Club's equestrian ambassador, a horse mascot, popular as usual. To share the joy of the Club's 125^th Anniversary, the equestrian ambassador presented a commemorative gift bag to the Chief Executive Donald Tsang when he passed by the Club's booth. Other officiating guests of the Expo's opening ceremony, including Secretary for Development Carrie Lam, Under Secretary for Transport and Housing Yau Shing-mu and HKBPE ambassador Sharen Tang, were also invited by the equestrian ambassador to visit the Club's booth.

To commemorate its 125th Anniversary, The Club participates in the 44th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo.  Echoing the 'Racing Ahead for You' theme of its Anniversary programmes, the Club's booth will offer an array of interesting displays to interest the whole family.  Visitors can explore the history of Hong Kong and the Club from a series of historical exhibits, as well as learn more about horses.

Aware that commemorative merchandise and special racing souvenirs are always very popular with local residents, the Club will have some limited-edition items on sale at discount prices at the souvenir counter in the booth.  They include horse plush soft toys, retractable umbrellas, keyholders, pencils and bags made from recycled materials.

Younger visitors will be especially interested in the special "classroom" area where they can find out more about horses and their anatomy.  They can see a display of an equine skeleton and specimens of some important horse bones, with descriptions of how they enable these heavy animals to run so fast.

Meanwhile a display of old horseshoes will take visitors back to the past when the stables were in Shan Kwong Road and the horses had to walk up and down a steep road between there and Happy Valley Racecourse.  Special shoes were therefore designed for the horses to protect their feet.  Other notable exhibits are the gold and bronze medals won by the Hong Kong Equestrian Team at the recent 11th National Games.

The Club's booth at the Brands & Products Expo marks the latest stop of a roving HKJC 125th Anniversary Exhibition which has visited various districts of the city in the past few months and attracted much interest from local residents.  Popular features of this exhibition include four funny wooden ponies for photo taking and appearances by the Club's equestrian ambassador, a horse mascot.

Also not to be missed is the "Happy Talk" hosted by TV personality Suzi Wong on 19 December.  She will share stories of positive and happy moments in her life to highlight the importance of positive living.  During the Expo, members of the public and the Club's CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team will demonstrate the ten Hong Kong Can Do Exercise routines, with the aim of promoting a healthy lifestyle to every visitor.

Attachment: Fact sheet on the Club's booth at the 44th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo

125th Anniversary of The Hong KongJockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is celebrating its 125th Anniversary in 2009/10 season.  Over the past 125 years, it has become one of Hong Kong's best known and respected organisations, providing the public with world-class sporting entertainment as well as being the city's major non-Government community benefactor, now donating more than HK$1 billion a year to charitable and community projects.  It has been a part of Hong Kong through good times and bad, sharing the city's growth and development with its people, and is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for future generations.

Related Website: Racing Ahead For You