Club-sponsored riders ready to shine at Tianjin National Games

13/08/2017

Eight riders from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Equestrian Team will compete in the equestrian events of the Tianjin National Games, to be held at the Metropolitan Polo Club, Tianjin, China, from 29 August to 7 September 2017. It will be the first time for the Hong Kong Equestrian Team to compete in all three disciplines of the competition, namely, dressage, eventing and show jumping.

Speaking today at a press conference to present the Hong Kong Equestrian Team for the National Games, the Club’s Deputy Chairman Anthony W K Chow said that the Club had been an ardent supporter of horse riding and equestrian sports for many years, most notably through its support for the equestrian events of the Beijing 2008 Olympics and Paralympics, which were held in Hong Kong at the competition venue funded and built by the Club.

“It was a legacy of the Olympics that the Club established the HKJC Equestrian Team and the Junior Equestrian Training Squad in 2008 to develop the talent of Hong Kong riders. I’m pleased to say that all eight Hong Kong riders competing in Tianjin are also members of the HKJC Equestrian Team,” said Chow.

President of Hong Kong Equestrian Federation and Club Steward Michael T H Lee said, “On behalf of the Hong Kong Equestrian Federation, our team members and the equestrian community as a whole, I wish to express our deepest appreciation to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for their huge contribution to the Hong Kong Equestrian Team as well as equestrian sports in recent years.”

The Hong Kong Equestrian Team has enjoyed great success in national and international competitions, including at the Jinan 2009 National Games, the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games, the Shenyang 2013 National Games, the Incheon 2014 Asian Games and the World University Equestrian Championship 2016.

This year’s show jumping team comprises National Games show jumping individual gold medal winner Patrick Lam, National Games and Asian Games medallist Kenneth Cheng, FEI World Cup Jumping China League champion Raena Leung, and World University Championship individual jumping bronze medal winner Clarissa Lyra.

And the 2014 Incheon Asian Games eventing team bronze medal winners Annie Ho, Thomas Ho and Nicole Pearson will be joined by Patrick Lam, to form the eventing team. Lam has taken on eventing, in addition to his speciality, show jumping. Demonstrating great talent in eventing, Lam won his first international eventing competition at the Chatsworth International Horse Trials CIC1* in May this year.

The team’s dressage representative is Jacqueline Siu, who learned to ride at the Club’s Beas River Equestrian Centre. Siu came in fourth in the 2014 Asian Games dressage individual competition.
In addition to the 10 competition horses, the Hong Kong team will receive support from a team of 11 professionals, including the Club’s veterinarian, as well as a farrier, a sports psychologist and physiotherapists for the riders and horses under the Hong Kong Equestrian Performance Plan that was initiated and funded by the Club.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a long-term supporter of equestrian sports in Hong Kong. The public riding schools operated by the Club now attract some 60,000 local visitors of all ages each year to learn riding skills and horse care. Equestrian sports became even more popular following the equestrian events of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, held in Hong Kong with the Club’s support. To further enhance the capabilities of local riders, the Club launched the Hong Kong Equestrian Performance Plan in January 2016. This merit-based programme is designed to nurture Hong Kong’s high-performing riders as they strive for equestrian excellence on the world stage.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charity and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the Government in combatting illegal gambling.  In 2015/16, the Club donated a record HK$3.9 billion to charity and paid a record HK$20.9 billion in tax. It is Hong Kong's largest single tax payer, one of the city’s major employers and one of the world's top ten charity donors.  The Club is always "riding high together for a better future" with the people of Hong Kong.