The three-day LONGINES Masters of Hong Kong 2016, sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the “Founding Partner” of the Masters, will take place this weekend from 19 to 21 February at AsiaWorld Expo. On the first evening (19 February), the Club will host the HKJC Race of the Riders, which sees four leading equestrian riders partner with four Hong Kong jockeys in a show jumping relay race.
This evening (17 February) the four equestrians visited Happy Valley Racecourse to meet their partner jockeys and to enjoy Hong Kong’s world-class racing. Coming from different equine disciplines, it was in many cases the first time for the equestrians and jockeys to meet each other.
The HKJC Race of the Riders was inaugurated at last year’s Masters to celebrate the Club’s 130th Anniversary. Bringing together the skills of horse racing and equestrian sport, the event is an opportunity for audiences to see world-class riders from different disciplines working together, as well as to experience the incredibly strong partnerships between horses and riders.
This is the fourth year the Club has sponsored the Masters of Hong Kong to promote local equestrian development. To provide more opportunities for Hong Kong audiences to engage with the sport, the Club is once again sponsoring 2,000 local students and less privileged members of society nominated by schools, charities and NGOs to attend the first day of the competition.
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Leading equestrians taking part in the HKJC Race of the Riders paid a visit to Happy Valley Racecourse tonight (17 February) to meet their partner jockeys. The four equestrians - Simon Delestre (3rd left), Marco Kutscher (5th left), Bertram Allen (5th right) and Jacqueline Lai (3rd right) - posed for a photo with their partner jockeys Vincent Ho (2nd left), Joao Moreira (4th left), Neil Callan (6th left) and Derek Leung (4th right). Joining them were Club Steward and President of Hong Kong Equestrian Federation Michael Lee (2nd right), Club Executive Director of Racing Authority Andrew Harding (1st left) and with Managing Director of EEM Fabien Grobon (1st right).
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Jockey Neil Callan (middle) takes the equestrian riders on a tour of the Cluba£į?s racing facilities.
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Member of HKJC Equestrian Team Jacqueline Lai (left) is excited to try out the scales in the weigh-in room.
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Team a£į?the Magica£į?, consisting of Hong Kong Champion Jockey Joao Moreira (left) and German Rider Marco Kutscher, gained the best public support in a recent online voting game a£į?Vote for Your Favorite Teama£į?.
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