Corporate News

Debut equestrian event at Club-built Asian Games equestrian venue

16/09/2010


A three-day equestrian event starting today (16 September) will mark the debut of the Asian Games equestrian venue at Conghua, newly-built for the Games by The Hong Kong Jockey Club.  Organised by Conghua Bureau of Sport, the “Energetic Guangzhou” – Equestrian Invitation Competition is designed to test the operational readiness of the venue.  

A total of 16 riders are participating in the event, competing for individual and team awards in eventing. Among them are five athletes who are instructors at the Club’s riding schools in Hong Kong and two talented young riders from the HKJC Junior Equestrian Team.  

"The venues and facilities here are perfect, from the competition and training arenas to the stabling and the technical support", said Liang Ruiji, a gold medallist in the Team Jumping event at the 11th National Games in Jinan in October 2009.  "They provide all-round support and that allows me to stay more focused on my training and competition." 

The Club’s Tuen Mun Public Riding School instructor Bee Chan, riding Bonus in the competition, also had high praise for the venue.  "The footings of the training and competition arenas are of very high quality with a special top layer of structured sand, which is important," he commented.  "It provides better protection for the horses' legs when landing and turning."  

In designing the Asian Games equestrian venue and facilities, the Club has made good use of the experience it gained from Hong Kong's staging of the Olympic equestrian events in 2008 and the advanced technologies adopted for those venues.  The venue was completed by the Club in just eight months and has already earned high praise for its quality from the Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (GAGOC). As well as building the Conghua equestrian centre, the Club is providing GAGOC with a wide range of professional services and technical support including horse transportation, quarantine control, clinical laboratory services, site maintenance, veterinary clinical services and equipment, stable staff and appliances, and special equipment required for the competitions. 

In recognition of the Club's support, GAGOC has honoured the Club with the title of “Outstanding Contributor, 16th Asian Games Equestrian Events”.

A dressage competition is staged at the newly-built Asian Games equestrian venue on the first day of this invitation competition.
Photo 1:
A dressage competition is staged at the newly-built Asian Games equestrian venue on the first day of this invitation competition.

The public shows immense interest in the sport.
Photo 2:
The public shows immense interest in the sport.

Hong Kong Jockey Club Tuen Mun Public Riding School instructor Bee Chan (Photo 3) and Mainland rider Liang Ruiji (Photo 4) in action at today's opening event.
Photo 3:
Hong Kong Jockey Club Tuen Mun Public Riding School instructor Bee Chan (Photo 3) and Mainland rider Liang Ruiji (Photo 4) in action at today's opening event.


Photo 4

 

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