Club-sponsored Kenneth Cheng and JC Caballo ready for HK Masters challenge

02/27/2013

Member of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Equestrian Team Kenneth Cheng and his new horse Jockey Club Caballo flew to Hong Kong from their training base in Belgium earlier this week and have already started training in the AsiaWorld-Expo arena to prepare for the inaugural Hong Kong Masters event, which starts tomorrow.

At a media preview today (27 Feb), Cheng introduced his new equine partner Jockey Club Caballo and talked about his preparations. “I would like to thank the Club for its sponsorship and support,” Cheng said. “The Club's Charities Trust has purchased Jockey Club Caballo for me to compete in the Hong Kong Masters and because of that, I have another chance to contest a five-star competition on home soil, following the Beijing 2008 Olympics.”

Cheng, together with fellow Hong Kong representative Raena Leung, will compete against the world’s top 25 and some other outstanding Asian riders for a total prize money of US$1 million in the CSI5* Hong Kong Masters, one of the highest-standard jumping competitions recognised by the International Equestrian Federation.  The three-day event is the highest-ranked competition staged in Asia since the Olympics.

The Club is dedicated to promoting equestrian sport and to raising the standards of local riders.  The Club has designed and built venues at its own cost for the equestrian events of the Beijing 2008 Olympics and Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games, as well as providing professional services for these events.

At the end of 2008, the Club also invested HK$50 million in establishing the HKJC Equestrian Team and Junior Equestrian Team.  During the past four years, these two teams have nurtured several excellent local riders and achieved some historic results for Hong Kong.  These include gold and bronze individual medals and a bronze team medal at the Jinan 2009 National Games, a silver medal at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympics, and a team bronze at the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is not only one of the world's leading horse racing organisations but also a world top 15 charitable organisation and Hong Kong’s largest community contributor, donating HK$1.7 billion in 2012. It is also a major taxpayer, Hong Kong's single largest by far, generating over HK$16 billion a year for public funds. The Club pioneers technology applications for sporting and betting entertainment, striving for the highest levels of customer service. As a membership club, it is recognised as one of Asia’s most prestigious, with more than 23,000 members. These multifaceted roles make it a well-respected and remarkable organisation, dedicated to its mission of enhancing the quality of life for all Hong Kong people.