Trial Event

The 2008 Olympic Equestrian and Paralympic Events will be held in Hong Kong in August and September respectively. In preparation for hosting the Events, Hong Kong will stage a trial competition in August 2007.

The Hong Kong Special Administration Region 10th Anniversary Invitation Cup will be held from August 10-13, 2007. The purpose is to test the horses’ responses to Hong Kong’s weather, according to Mr. Lam Woon-kwong, Chief Executive Officer of the Equestrian Company.

The Olympic Equestrian Events will be held in Sha Tin and Sheung Shui.

Jumping Fence Design Competition

A competition to design fences for the 2008 Olympics showjumping event was kicked off to promote interest in the Olympics. According to the Vice President of the Equestrian Committee (Hong Kong) of Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the 29th Olympiad and President of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, Mr. Timothy Fok, the aim of the competition was to educate the public about the equestrian sport, and to induce them to appreciate both the beauty and excitement of equestrian competition. He said that jumping fences were a good way to promote the Hong Kong identity.

The jumping fences should convey the themes of the Beijing Olympics, which were “Green Olympics”, “High-tech Olympics” and “People’s Olympics, and the brand images of Hong Kong which included the attributes of “progressive”, “innovative” and “cosmopolitan”.

Details of the competition can be found on the website: www.equestrian2008.org.

Volunteers

About 1,800 volunteers will be recruited by the Equestrian Company to help make the Olympic Equestrian Events a smooth operation. Registration for volunteers began in late November 2006.

The objective of the Volunteers Program was to encourage and provide opportunities for the community to participate in and contribute to the Equestrian Events. The role of the volunteers is to complement the work of the full-and –part-time staff. Their prime duties are to assist athletes, working staff, spectators, guests and other visitors in 2008 and in August 2007, when the Test Event will be staged.

The volunteers will undergo various types of training which include residential, weekend and evening training as well as on-site practice.

Applicants can be people of all nationalities who have the right to enter and stay in Hong Kong during the training and service periods. Volunteers will not be paid, but will be provided with insurance coverage, uniform, meals and transportation during their service.

They will be given appreciation and commendation with the award of Olympics and Paralympics certificates and badges. Individuals, groups and organizations with outstanding performances will be awarded commendations.

Those interested in applying to become a volunteer can register at www.equestrian2008.org.