Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian Events in Hong Kong

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Equestrian Sport in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has about 2,000 people actively involved in different equestrian activities, ranging from leisure, competitive, to rehab riding.

About 1,500 people take riding lessons at the nine riding schools in Hong Kong. Every year, retired racehorses in Hong Kong are supplied by Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) to the riding schools for riding lessons. The HKJC runs three public riding schools and its private riding school at the Beas River Country Club.

Although riding is not a common sport in Hong Kong, public interest in riding has increased these few years due to the city's staging of the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian Events. All three public riding schools are currently over-subscribed, and a further 20% increase in applications is anticipated in the upcoming years. With over 2,000 people on the schools' waiting lists, new applicants may have to wait for up to 3 years before they can enroll in riding lessons.

A picture of a child riding on a horse

Each year about 30 to 40 local and international equestrian competitions take place in Hong Kong, mostly at facilities in Beas River. Through these competitions, Hong Kong riders have the opportunity to share experience and compete with more experienced, internationally renowned riders.

Hong Kong's equestrian athletes are also achieving new heights.

In recent years, several Hong Kong riders have won Jumping competitions at the Southeast Asia rounds of the World Cup Tournament as well as at other events in the region. Hong Kong's Para-Equestrian athletes (or impaired riders) have also achieved some excellent results in Asian and international Dressage competitions. Among them, Hong Kong has qualified one rider to participate in the 2008 Paralympic Games.

Such great accomplishment is a major breakthrough in equestrian for Hong Kong and has added another remarkable success to the city.

A picture of an impaired rider riding on a horse

Hong Kong Equestrian Federation (HKEF)

The HKEF is Hong Kong's official representative body for equestrian sport at the national and international levels. Founded in 1973, HKEF aims to promote equestrian sport and to encourage the protection of horses and ponies. It also works closely with HKJC to organize regular local competitions and to train officials for equestrian sport.

As an affiliated member of the FEI, the HKEF is responsible for hosting international equestrian competitions in the territory annually. Moreover, it supports Hong Kong's equestrian athletes and helps to organize international competitions and championships, including the All China Games and the Asian Games. The HKEF is also an affiliated member of the Asian Equestrian Federation and the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF& OC)


	Riding for the Disabled Association Limited (RDA)

The RDA is the largest non-profit organization that offers horse riding as a form of therapy in Asia. Through horse riding lessons, disabled children and adults learn to build self-confidence, improve concentration and increase self-discipline. Founded in 1975 with only two army mules at Beas River, the RDA now offers 6,000 rides annually on its 20 horses and ponies at its three centers. Among them, the Pokfulam Public Riding School is the base of RDA.

While the primary aim of RDA is rehabilitation, it eventually develops a sporting aspect. In late 2005, a Sports Sub-Committee was formed to identify and train Para-Equestrians for competitions both locally and internationally.

Acknowledgements: we would like to thank Getty Images, the Hong Kong SAR Government, Hong Kong Jockey Club, FEI,
Riding for the Disabled Association Limited, Xinhua & Fung Kai Yan for providing some of the pictures for this website

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