International Equestrian Journalists wowed by Olympic Venues
5 December 2007
A group of 13 international equestrian media, including the President of the International Alliance of Equestrian Journalists, were hugely impressed by the Olympic equestrian venues at Sha Tin and Beas River when they visited Hong Kong at the end of November.
The truly international group represented the US, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Sweden, Canada and France, and included television, newspaper and magazine reporters and photographers.
The media group was shown around The Hong Kong Jockey Club's Olympic core venue at the Hong Kong Sports Institute by Olympic project business manager John Ridley.
The group was also taken to the Olympic stabling complex, where they had to don white coats in accordance with quarantine regulations and got a chance to see European 2007 Racehorse of the Year, Irish superstar Dylan Thomas, which had just arrived for a crack at the Hong Kong Vase at the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races on 9 December.
Dr Terence Wan, head of the Racing Laboratory, gave the group a tour of the lab and explained how samples from Olympic and Paralympic horses would be tested for prohibited substances in record time and at the Club's expense. And Dr Chris Riggs, head of Veterinary Clinical Services, showed the journalists around the Club's Equine Hospital before a lunch hosted by the Executive Director of Corporate Development, Kim Mak.
On the second day of their visit to The Jockey Club's Olympic facilities, the journalists had a chance to see the cross-country course out at the Hong Kong Golf Club and the neighbouring Beas River Country Club, meeting up with British coursebuilder David Evans en route. The cross-country tour was conducted by Soenke Lauterbach of the Hong Kong Equestrian Federation, with HKEF Treasurer and HKJC Steward Michael Lee joining the guests for lunch.
The journalists later enjoyed a night out at the races in Happy Valley, hosted by Kim Mak and Soenke Lauterbach, with the Club's CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges calling in to meet the group and offer tips.
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Photo 1:
Canadian journalist Jennifer Ward made friends with a horse at the Beas River Country Club stables.
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Photo 2:
Olympic project business manager John Ridley showed the international media group round the Olympic stabling complex. The entire group had to be clad in white coats to meet quarantine requirements.
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Photo 3:
Dr Terence Wan, head of the Racing Laboratory, showed the journalists around the lab at Sha Tin.
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Photo 4:
Dr Chris Riggs, head of Veterinary Clinical Services, gave the journalists a guided tour of the Equine Hospital.
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Photo 5:
The media group toured around the Equestrian Pavilion in Penfold Park and tried out some of the multi-media facilities, including the Novel Electronic Book.
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Photo 6:
British cross-country coursebuilder David Evans was interviewed by members of the media group.
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Photo 7:
Soenke Lauterbach of the Hong Kong Equestrian Federation conducted the cross-country tour at the Hong Kong Golf Club.
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Photo 8:
The international journalists enjoyed a night's racing out at Happy Valley, where Kim Mak, Executive Director of Corporate Development at The Hong Kong Jockey Club, presented a Jockey Club souvenir to Daily Telegraph journalist Alan Smith, chairman of the British Equestrian Writers Association.
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