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Stephy Zhang

A five-star show jumping event in Hong Kong is driving the rise of local riders and boosting the city’s status internationally, a leading equestrian said on Friday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show, Richard Vogel said it was the “perfect way and the perfect road” to develop the sport in the city.
Taking place at the AsiaWorld-Expo for the second year running, the three-day event features some of the world’s elite, including Vogel, who said “bringing the best horses and riders” was an ideal place to start.
The 28-year-old German also believed Hong Kong’s reputation for horse racing gave the city a solid foundation and said the same could be achieved in show jumping for local riders.
“They can compete against the best in the world and that just always makes your own athletes grow, as top athletes lead,” he said. “Nothing different.”

Vogel, who is competing in Hong Kong for the second time, said everything from the stables to the footing, jump materials and poles had improved, and he was looking forward to seeing the event grow still further.
Jacqueline Lai Jing-man, who represented Hong Kong at last year’s National Games, said the competition was not just a contest but a proud homecoming.
“I feel really privileged that for so many years I have been able to come back and compete,” she said.
The 35-year-old, who started in the sport at a public riding school, said that after 25 years she had witnessed the growth of equestrianism in the city.
Now one of Hong Kong’s top riders, she called hosting such a high-level event a “big opportunity” for the current generation of young local riders.
“It’s going to become very competitive very soon,” she said. “And I’m going to savour the chances that I have to compete here.”
On Friday, local youth team riders Carrie Wang Ka-lee and Annabel Zhao Yuanxi took part in the first Hong Kong Jockey Club Asian Youth Challenge, an FEI one-star event supported by the club for athletes aged 14 to 18 designed to promote equestrian development in the region and to give young riders an opportunity to experience top-level international competition.
“I think we are very excited, especially to be representing Hong Kong,” Wang said, adding the event gave young riders a rare chance to get professional “advice and be critiqued”.
The 15-year-old was the best-placed local rider, finishing third behind mainland China duo Sun Ruirui and Ma Ziyan.
After the event, she said she was satisfied with her own and her horse Little Lady Van’t Eigenlo’s performance.
“I think the biggest difficulty, but also the biggest reward was also the competition as style,” she said, adding that being judged by Vogel and Corinne Bracken had been “such a privilege and really exciting, but it was also really difficult to take their advice on board”.
“My goal is to follow the path of many elite squad riders such as Jacqueline [Lai] and to represent Hong Kong on the international stage,” she said.


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Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show gets under way at AsiaWorld-Expo, with city’s young riders learning from the best


Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show gets under way at AsiaWorld-Expo, with city’s young riders learning from the best.


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AsiaWorld-Expo

Five-star event driving Hong Kong show jumping to greater heights, leading rider says

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show gets under way at AsiaWorld-Expo, with city’s young riders learning from the best

Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show gets under way at AsiaWorld-Expo, with city’s young riders learning from the best