Equine Dreams

On May 26, 2008, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) officially transferred operation and ad-ministration of the city’s Sha Tin Olympic equestrian venue to the Equestrian Events (Hong Kong) of the Games of XXIX Olympiad Company Limited.

The smooth transition was the latest signal that final preparations for this major Beijing Olympic equestrian course are on track, and after some peripheral arrangements, the facility will be ready to welcome Olympic jockeys, according to the jockey club deputy chairman Brian Stevenson.

The venue underwent a two-year improvement process, including the upgrading to state-of-the-art status of the main arena, which can accommodate 18,000 spectators, and the outfitting of air-conditioned stables, training areas, an equine hospital, and much more.

Stevenson says the 1.2-billion HK dollars worth of improvements were well spent as an investment in Hong Kong’s Olympic heritage.

Subsequent to the handover, the HKJC continues to work closely with the equestrian events company in offering professional support in stable management, transporting of horses, quarantine processes and other related matters. The equestrian events company will be responsible for construction during the final phrase, including outfitting of the venue with Beijing Olympic images and signage. Concurrently, the equestrian events company will conduct operational trials to perfect coordination among the entire team.

Olympic-scale effort went into ensuring that first-class facilities and services are in place, once the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was chosen to host the 2008 Olympic equestrian events, according to Lam Woon Kwong, chief executive officer of the Equestrian Events (Hong Kong) of the Games of XXIX Olympiad Company Limited.

The Hong Kong Olympic equestrian program followed significant developments in equine health and welfare that contributed to the success of events at recent Olympic Games, especially Atlanta in 1996 and Athens in 2004.

Lam says that the equine care provided in Hong Kong will be world-class. The city has established a fine record in handling highly valuable racehorses, and the stabling and veterinary facilities of HKJC are rated among the world’s best.

According to Lam, in consultation with the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) and internationally renowned experts, the HKJC considered the local climate when preparing the venues, effecting highly efficient measures to minimize the effects of heat and humidity on the large and powerful animals. These measures include the provision of air-conditioning from the moment the horses arrive in Hong Kong; transportation in the club’s air-conditioned lorries; air-conditioned stables; the first-ever air-conditioned Olympic indoor training arenas; four misting tents at both the main venue and at the cross-country events venue; troughs of chilled water and an ample supply of ice at each misting tent and at each holding point on the cross-country course; and chilled water sprays and mobile cooling units at both the core venue and the cross country course.

During the Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian Events, all teams will be kept fully informed of weather conditions. The Hong Kong Observatory will offer special 24-hour monitoring services for the events — including on-site advisories during race events.

Among the state-of-the-art tech-nology, in place will be high-tech gear for measuring equine heat stress, using the well-established Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index, which takes into account solar radiation, humidity, air temperature and wind speed. This index will be used by the FEI to protect the horses during both training and competition.

Lam says that the company is confident that these strategies will assure the health of the animals, and both riders and horses will be able to compete to the best of their abilities.
Equine clinics will be set up at competition venues, and professional vets with Olympic experience will provide on-site medical care, if required.

These protocols, according to organizers, were fully evaluated and perfected during two simulated events in 2006 and 2007, and again at the Good Luck Beijing — Hong Kong 10th Anniversary Cup in August 2007. The Cup competition was affected by adverse weather, but riders and horses effectively coped with the conditions.

The equestrian events of the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be held in Hong Kong from August 9 to 21, 2008, and the equestrian events of the 2008 Beijing Paralympics will be held from September 7 to 11, 2008. The dressage and jumping events will be held at Sha Tin, while the cross-country event will be held at the Beas River course, also with a seating capacity of 18,000.

From August 8 to 24, two Olympic live sites will be set up at Victoria Park and Sha Tin Park, allowing local residents as well as visitors to experience Olympic ambience in this vibrant metropolis. Providing live broadcast of the Games shown on large LCDs, art performances, exhibitions, shops, information services, snack and beverage booths, the sites are free of admission charge.

In addition, the Hong Kong Tourism Board will also operate an Olympic-themed square at various cultural centers, inviting any and all to celebrate and join in the Olympic spirit.