The Hong Kong Jockey Club is one of five organisations participating in an "Olympics Countdown" exhibition from today (27 March) until 1 April, following this afternoon's inauguration of a 500-Day Countdown Clock at Kowloon Park, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Models of the competition venues now being constructed by the Club for the 2008 Olympic equestrian events will be among items on display at the Club's booth, along with information about equestrian sports. And from 1:00 to 5:00 pm on Sunday 1 April, the final day of the exhibition, two of the Club's much-loved Shetland ponies and the Equestrian Mascot will make a special appearance to meet the public and pose for photos with them.

At today's Inauguration Ceremony of the 500-day Countdown Clock, the Club was represented by Steward Mr Michael Lee while another Club Steward, Mr Simon Ip, attended in his capacity as President of the Hong Kong Equestrian Federation. They joined a number of other officiating guests in setting the 13-metre high clock in motion, including Secretary for Home Affairs, Dr the Hon Patrick Ho; President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, Mr Timothy Fok; Chairman of the Board of Governors of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Equestrian Events Hong Kong Fund, Ms Elsie Leung; Chairman of the Hong Kong Paralympics Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled, Mrs Jenny Fung; Chief Executive Officer of The Equestrian Company, Mr Lam Woon-kwong and President of Omega China and Hong Kong, Mr Kevin Rollenhagen. Omega has been the official timekeeper at 22 Olympic Games since 1932.

The Club has committed to build the venues for the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic equestrian events in Hong Kong and, with 500 days to go, is already making encouraging progress. A number of the new facilities at Sha Tin and Fanling are already close to completion stage and all the major elements will be ready in good time to host a trial event this coming August.

In the meantime, the Club is also working closely with the Equestrian Company and other parties to stimulate the Hong Kong public's interest in equestrian sports, the Kowloon Park exhibition being one such initiative. As the new Countdown Clock is sure to attract a lot of attention, the Club hopes that local residents will take this opportunity to broaden their equestrian knowledge and have a fun day out with the family at the same time.

The 500-day Countdown Clock, like its Mainland counterparts in Beijing and Qingdao, counts the days, hours, minutes and seconds remaining until the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics at 8:00 pm on 8 August 2008.