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All saddled up and ready
By Tan Yingzi (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-24 10:29

 

Neither the summer's heat nor a drenching tropical storm or a dire typhoon forecast kept horses and their brave riders from Hong Kong's newly built Olympic equestrian grounds earlier this month.
 

The highly anticipated Good Luck Beijing--Hong Kong 10th Anniversary Cup held from August 11-13 received high praise from the international riders and authorities despite the wet and challenging weather.

It was the first international eventing competition held in Hong Kong that also served as a test event for the Olympic sites at Sha Tin and Beas River. It's where the equestrian competition will be held during next year's Olympics.

 

A field of riders and observers from leading equestrian nations including Australia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States attended the CCI2* event of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

It was an ideal opportunity to experience the new venues and to find out whether Hong Kong's climate posed any problems for the horses.

"I have attended some of these test events before Olympic Games and I must say this test event was the best I have ever attended, gives a very good feeling for next year's Olympic Games," said Martin Plewa, chief judge and International Olympic Committee (IOC) inspector at this event.

Plewa gave top marks to the facilities.

"The layout of the cross-country course is absolutely beautiful and it will be an amazing cross-country competition next year. With a lot of expertise here, the Olympic equestrian events in Hong Kong will be a success," Plewa said. He said the horses coped well.

The competition also allowed organizers to test other things, such as drainage, during heavy rainfall.

"We have found the test event very helpful," said Lam Woon-kwong, the CEO of the Equestrian Company. "We have been able to test the ground and other things and we have had the opportunity to use the emergency and contingency plans."

The typhoon did not disturb most of the competition schedule but just postponed the horse inspections and delayed the start of the cross-country competition.

Participants at the three-day event, which included dressage, cross-country and show jumping, witnessed dramatic climate changes during their stay. One week before the competition, as the international teams arrived, Hong Kong was sweltering and the temperature hovered around 35 degrees Celsius. Then, tropical storm Pabuk bore down on the city with heavy rainfall that brought cooler temperatures, just one day before the event.

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