Local racing fans were given their own chance to share Hong Kong's pride in a record-breaking Asian Games when The Hong Kong Jockey Club staged a special "welcome home" ceremony for the city's equestrian team at Sha Tin Racecourse today (28 November).
The team won Hong Kong its first-ever equestrian medal at an Asian Games, a bronze in the team jumping competition, contributing to the SAR's biggest medal haul ever in the Games.
Deputy Club Chairman Dr Simon Ip, who is also President of Hong Kong Equestrian Federation, congratulated the jumping team on their excellent result by presenting souvenirs to its four members Patrick Lam, Samantha Lam, Kenneth Cheng and Jacqueline Lai.
Patrick Lam, Samantha Lam and Cheng are all Club-sponsored riders as members of the HKJC Equestrian Team. The Club also announced today that Lai, a former HKJC Junior Team member, would join the senior team in 2011 in recognition of her outstanding achievements and dedication. This will enable her to receive overseas training and competition experience along with her team-mates, with the next major goal being qualification for the London 2012 Olympics.
The result achieved by Hong Kong's eventing team at the 2010 Asian Games was also remarkable. The team, mostly comprising current or former Club riding instructors, finished fourth in the team eventing competition, missing out on a bronze medal by the tiny margin of 0.3 points. One of the team's mounts was a retired Hong Kong racehorse.
The Club has long been a strong supporter of the city’s equestrian sports development. After the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the Club committed a further HK$50 million to establish the HKJC Equestrian Team and Junior Equestrian Team in December 2008. With funding from the Club, Cheng, Samantha Lam and Patrick Lam were able to train and get competition experience in Europe prior to the Asian Games. The Club also donated HK$2.2 million to the Hong Kong Equestrian Federation to assist in their preparation for the Games and help ensure that Hong Kong could field the strongest team possible. It was the first time that Hong Kong had competed in all three equestrian disciplines at an Asian Games.
The equestrian events of the Games were held at a top-class equestrian centre in Conghua, designed and built by The Hong Kong Jockey Club. This venue has become the first on the Chinese Mainland able to stage international equestrian events, by virtue of an internationally-recognised Specific Equine Disease-free Zone in the area between Hong Kong and Conghua, established and executed with the Club’s support. Its legacy value will be further strengthened when the Club converts the venue into a new racehorse training centre after the Games.
In recognition of the Club's support, the Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee honoured the Club with the title of "Outstanding Contributor, Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games Equestrian Events".
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Photo 1:
At today's Welcome Ceremony in the Parade Ring at Sha Tin Racecourse, Deputy Club Chairman and President of Hong Kong Equestrian Federation Dr Simon Ip (fifth from right) presents congratulatory souvenirs to members of the Hong Kong jumping team Patrick Lam (sixth from right), Samantha Lam (fourth from right), Kenneth Cheng (fourth from left) and Jacqueline Lai (fifth from left). Also, he congratulates other members of the Hong Kong SAR equestrian team !V Jacqueline Siu (second from right), Bee Chan (first from left), Annie Ho (second from left), Jennifer Lee (third from left), Nicole Pearson (third from right) and Raena Leung (first from right) !V on their accomplishments in the Guangzhou Asian Games.
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Photo 2:
The Club's Manager, Equestrian Affairs Sacha Eckjans (third from right) welcomes Jacqueline Lai (second from left) as a new member of the HKJC Equestrian Team, an honour shared by her Asian Games team-mates Patrick Lam (first from right), Samantha Lam (second from right) and Kenneth Cheng (first from left).
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