Riders complete an event during the Asian Games. Tonglu county, Zhejiang province, hosted more than 110 riders and 114 horses from some 20 countries and regions at the Games. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
Tonglu county, Zhejiang province, was recognized in 2021 by National Geographic magazine as one of the world's top 25 travel destinations for its cultural and historical attractions.
The county has long been known for its scenery, but never for its equine breeding or for staging related events.
In recent years, Tonglu has become a globally acclaimed equestrian destination, and it played host to more than 110 riders and 114 horses from some 20 countries and regions for events in the Asian Games, which ended on Sunday.
Hong Kong's rich equine legacy and international resources lie behind the county's meteoric rise in the world of horses.
On Sept 25, the day before the Asiad equestrian events started, John Lee Ka-chiu, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, visited the Tonglu Equestrian Centre.
Noting that the Hangzhou Asian Games are one of the grand international sports events hosted by China, Lee said, "This time, Hong Kong is not only a participant but also a contributor."
An equestrian expert with more than 30 years' experience, Amanda Bond, head of equestrian affairs at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said Hong Kong shared its knowledge, expertise and guidance to help Tonglu county, Zhejiang province, overcome its lack of equestrian experience and become a globally acclaimed equestrian destination
Tonglu is mainly known for its travel destinations and logistics services. It is also home to hundreds of express delivery companies, but by hosting the Asiad equestrian events, it took on a new identity.
Equestrian artwork featured in local parks and streets, with sculptures and portraits of horses on display. Shops boasted merchandise themed on horses, and numerous related souvenirs.
Tonglu Equestrian Centre, the purpose-built arena for equestrian events, covers more than 295 hectares and has received recognition and acclaim from the global equestrian community.
Qabil Ambak, a six-time Asian Games participant from Malaysia and gold medalist in the individual dressage competition this year, praised the center for being "one of the finest venues in all of the Asian Games".
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Jacqueline Siu Wing-ying, a Hong Kong athlete who won the silver medal in the individual dressage event, said the center provided a world-class environment for the horses, while Hamad bin Abdulrahman Al Attiyah, president of the Asian Equestrian Federation, said all the riders were grateful to compete at the center.
Amanda Bond, head of equestrian affairs at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, or HKJC, — one of the largest equine organizations in the world — said Hong Kong, with its wealth of equestrian experience, has played a crucial role in Tonglu's new identity.
An equestrian expert with more than 30 years' experience, Bond said Hong Kong shared its knowledge, expertise and guidance to help Tonglu overcome its lack of equestrian experience.
The HKJC provided substantial technical support for the Asian Games equestrian events.
Experts from the club were chosen as advisers for the equestrian project command center. In May, the club also signed a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with the organizing committee to provide technical support in six areas for the Asian Games — biosecurity, horse transportation, stable management, veterinary and farrier services, venue operations, and international stakeholder engagement.
Riders respond to spectators during the Asian Games on Oct 6, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
Major contributor
Bond said the MOU was structured around the Jockey Club's core expertise.
"We focused on areas where we have rich experience, so from a technical perspective, it wasn't too challenging," she said.
Since autumn last year, some 14 core club staff members and 20 other members have taken on various roles, traveling to Tonglu every month to prepare for the Games, in addition to their full-time work at the Jockey Club. In addition, six veterinary and farrier professionals were engaged by the club to offer professional guidance and support
Still, the club was committed from its senior leadership down to ensuring the equestrian events were run successfully.
Since autumn last year, some 14 core club staff members and 20 other members have taken on various roles, traveling to Tonglu every month to prepare for the Games, in addition to their full-time work at the Jockey Club. In addition, six veterinary and farrier professionals were engaged by the club to offer professional guidance and support.
The Hong Kong contingent worked closely with local counterparts to share expertise, offer guidance, devise strategies and implement plans — contributing the combined experience to help the events from the preparatory stage to conclusion.
For example, with more than 100 horses from around the world arriving and departing at varying times for competitions, equine transportation was a complex task that required early strategic planning.
Horses housed safely in air stalls were flown on designated aircraft from worldwide hubs to Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. To protect their health, they passed through a dedicated biosecure channel directly from the airport to reach Tonglu in specially designed air-conditioned trucks.
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The HKJC shared its experience in equine transportation with event organizers, recommending to them a logistics partner with wide experience in flying horses to competitive events.
The club advised local government departments on maintaining the special biosecure channel — successfully bringing the horses to the Games and returning them safely to their home countries.
In addition, the club played a supporting role in setting up an intricate and challenging project, the Equine Disease-Free Zone, or EDFZ.
In the past, China faced obstacles in hosting major events due to a lack of epidemic-free zones. For instance, the equestrian events for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were relocated to Hong Kong due to the absence of a quarantine-free zone for horses on the Chinese mainland at that time
Stringent hygiene standards were upheld in the zone to protect the horses from potential risks from imported diseases. Establishing such zones is crucial for international equine sport to ensure the health and safety of horses. This work requires close cooperation with local government departments, effective communication with the international community, and approval from the World Organisation for Animal Health.
In the past, China faced obstacles in hosting major events due to a lack of epidemic-free zones. For instance, the equestrian events for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were relocated to Hong Kong due to the absence of a quarantine-free zone for horses on the Chinese mainland at that time.
For the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, the club helped the city establish the mainland's first EDFZ.
In Tonglu, the club shared its successful experience of setting up EDFZs, collaborating with government departments on the mainland, and communicating with the international community. This work helped Tonglu successfully establish a vast disease-free zone covering about 1,300 square kilometers.
The club also played a significant role in establishing a comfortable environment to help the horses perform to their best. It ensured they were provided with exceptional accommodations, food, medical treatment and other essential services upon arriving at the center.
It also offered a wealth of advice on building and managing stables and competitive equestrian competition areas.
The center boasts 240 individual stables, with each horse housed in 16-square-meter rooms where the temperature is maintained at 24 C. To prevent accidents, non-slip rubber mats lined all the passageways and surfaces on which the horses trod.
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The stables were open from 5 am to 10 pm, offering athletes and support teams sufficient time to spend with the horses. At night, a security team protected the horses' safety.
Sand in the competition areas was maintained at an optimum depth of 20 centimeters.
The HKJC also played a significant role in establishing a comfortable environment to help the horses perform to their best. It ensured they were provided with exceptional accommodations, food, medical treatment and other essential services upon arriving at the center
Construction of the 778-square-meter veterinary clinic at the center was supervised by veterinary experts from the HKJC. This state-of-the-art facility provides first-class medical care for horses, with those that require medical attention receiving the best treatment as soon as possible.
The horses have their own dietary preferences. Before the Asian Games, the club and the organizers collated the feeding preferences of all the horses and resolved various procedural difficulties to ensure their feed could be imported to Hangzhou from destinations across the world.
Bond said, "We supported the organizers in achieving approval for hundreds of different types of feed to be imported so that the horses could eat what they eat at home."
The club also helped the organizers coordinate with international stakeholders.
It assisted in liaising with the Asian Equestrian Federation, which is based in Qatar, and with the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, headquartered in Switzerland, as well as with shipping agents from the United Kingdom. It also helped liaise with representatives from national federations attending the Asian Games.
Bond said that to liaise with different parties, club members often sacrificed sleep to hold meetings across different time zones. "It's been a bit like working for the United Nations," she added.
In addition, the club helped provide training for about 60 volunteers from Hong Kong to further assist with the Games.
It gave lessons on equestrian history, equine care and other basics to equip volunteers for various roles. After arriving in Hangzhou, volunteers worked as translators, provided hospitality services, performed media and publicity work, among other tasks.
"We made sure they understood equestrian sport. No matter an individual's specific role at the venue, he or she could answer questions about the events and competitions," Bond said.
"Everything ran smoothly. With the athletes — both humans and horses — able to perform at their best, we could return to Hong Kong happy."
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In this undated file phoyo, Amanda Bond, head of equestrian affairs at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, works with a horse. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Using a legacy
Bond feels that after the Asian Games, the passion and interest in equestrian sports will continue in Tonglu and throughout the mainland.
Equestrianism holds a unique place among sports, she said.
It is the only sport at the Asian Games and the Olympic Games that involves interaction with animals, which can teach humans to respect animals. It is also the only sport at both these major events in which male and female athletes compete at the same stage. In addition, it has no age restrictions, with competitors in international equestrian events ranging from teenagers to riders in their 70s and above.
People can learn that as long as they're trained well, use the right methods to ride, and show respect for the horse, equestrianism is no more dangerous than other sports.
Amanda Bond, head of equestrian affairs at the Hong Kong Jockey Club
"As an inclusive sport, equestrianism fills us with pride," Bond said, adding that organizing such events can increase local appreciation of the sport.
The events can also dispel the misconception that equestrianism is inherently dangerous, she added.
"People can learn that as long as they're trained well, use the right methods to ride, and show respect for the horse, equestrianism is no more dangerous than other sports," she said.
Efforts are also underway to preserve the legacy of the Asian Games.
Bond said the HKJC will cooperate with the authorities in Hangzhou to further explore the use of Games venues and facilities.
In June, the club signed an MOU with the Hangzhou government to strengthen cooperation and exchanges to drive development of the equine sports industry in the country. Both sides will work together to explore new operating models for the existing venues in Hangzhou, such as developing a post-Asian Games plan for use of the Tonglu Equestrian Centre.
They will explore cooperation for national and regional equestrian events, horse-riding education, and cultural tourism. They will also strengthen talent development, and the club will provide training for equine sports professionals, veterinary and farrier services, and stable management.
Hong Kong and the mainland have collaborated in equestrian work for several years, Bond said, adding that she has witnessed the remarkable progress of equestrian sports on the mainland over the past two decades
It will strive to boost the popularity of equine sports through community activities, education programs and media publicity to raise public awareness and participation.
Hong Kong and the mainland have collaborated in equestrian work for several years, Bond said, adding that she has witnessed the remarkable progress of equestrian sports on the mainland over the past two decades.
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The number of equestrian clubs on the mainland has risen from 1,000 in 2017 to more than 3,000 this year.
In June, the national team secured entry to the equestrian triathlon team event at the Paris Olympics next year in the qualification round. At the Asian Games in Hangzhou, the national team won two gold medals, one-third of the total number of golds for equestrian sport.
Bond said that as the Asian Games proved that the mainland has the ability to host top-tier equestrian events, the HKJC hopes more such events can be held on the mainland.
She also said that compared with Europe, there are greater challenges in moving horses between Asian nations, and these problems are hindering the advancement of equestrianism across the region. To remove obstacles to equestrian growth, she called on Asian countries to work together to enable cross-border equine mobility and increase international cooperation in this respect.
