Olympics Equestrian News

Vice-President Zeng Qinghong impressed by Club's horse racing facilities

13 September 2005

 

Zeng Qinghong, Vice-President of the People's Republic of China and Liao Hui, Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, visited Sha Tin Racecourse with a Mainland delegation on 11 September to see the venues where the equestrian events of the 2008 Olympic will be staged.  Mr Zeng is the first national leader to have visited the racecourse.  He was highly impressed by the Club's world-class horse racing facilities.  "It is a very good tour which lets me see the world's top class racing facilities.  It's obviously the 'world's number one' and Hong Kong should have more 'world number ones'," Zeng said.
 
Mr Zeng agreed with Chief Executive Lawrence T. Wong's view that horse racing was a mass sport in Hong Kong.  He said national leaders could attend Hong Kong's race meetings more often.
 
Chairman Ronald Arculli, accompanied by Deputy Chairman John C C Chan and Mr Wong, greeted Mr Zeng and his delegation on their arrival at Sha Tin Racecourse.  The visitors first went to the Stewards Box where Chairman Ronald Arculli gave them a welcome speech in Putonghua.  Following a video presentation on the plans for the Olympic equestrian events and a detailed briefing on the venues from Lawrence T. Wong, they enjoyed a panoramic view of Sha Tin Racecourse from the Steward's Box balcony.
 
 
While looking across the racecourse, Mr Zeng expressed great interest in the functions of Penfold Park.  Mr Wong told him that the park was a leisure venue open to the public.  After the Olympics, he said, its facilities would be upgraded and modified to become an interactive riding park for the public, with a particular focus on providing disabled riding facilities.  Mr Zeng also learnt about the reclamation history of Sha Tin.  He was very impressed by the development of Sha Tin new town and the racecourse on a piece of reclaimed land.
 
After the briefing at the Stewards' Box, the group moved on to the Racing Laboratory and the Equine Hospital.  Mr Zeng was fascinated by the Lab's world-class facilities, repeatedly praised the state-of-the-art equipment.  He noted that world recognition of the Club's laboratory resulted from years of experience and credibility.  Acknowledging the laboratory's international status, he told his delegation that Mainland China needed to achieve this standard in order to gain world recognition.
 
Mr Zeng also showed great interest in horse-related information.  He asked a lot of questions on equine health issues and the racing laboratory's examination procedures.  It was when Mr Wong told him that the laboratory was the first one in the world to install a 24-hour CCTV system to monitor its sample analysis process that Zeng made his comment that HK should have more world number ones.
 
Mr Zeng stayed at Sha Tin Racecourse for about an hour and left a friendly, easy going and courteous impression on all Club staff he met.


Photo 1:
Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) Chief Executive Lawrence T. Wong (fourth left) together with the Vice-President of the People's Republic of China Zeng Qinghong (fifth right) enjoyed a panoramic view of Sha Tin Racecourse from the Steward's Box balcony where Mr Zeng expressed great interest in the functions of Penfold Park.



Photo 2:
HKJC Chairman Ronald Arculli gave the delegates a welcome speech in Putonghua.



Photo 3:
Lawrence T. Wong (fourth left) gave Mr Zeng (second right) a briefing on the plans for the Olympic equestrian events and its venues.



Photo 4:
Mr Zeng (third right) showed great interest in horse-related information. He asked a lot of questions on equine health issues and the racing laboratory's examination procedures.



Photo 5:
During the brief visit, Mr Zeng (second right) was fascinated by the Club's world-class facilities and he repeatedly praised the state-of-the-art equipment of the Racing Laboratory and the Equine Hospital.

 

 
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