Jockey Club supports 2025 FEI General Assembly with welcome reception to promote Hong Kong as a hub for horse sports

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (“the Club”) is pleased to support the 2025 Fédération Equestre Internationale (“FEI”) General Assembly – some 27 years after Hong Kong last staged the General Assembly to advance equestrian sport and reinforce its status as a leading global hub. It hosted a welcome reception at Happy Valley Racecourse tonight (5 November) to kick off the FEI General Assembly week and to showcase the uniqueness of horse racing and racecourse entertainment.

Posing for a group photo at the 2025 FEI General Assembly welcome reception are The Hon. Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (centre); Lester Huang, Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and President of the Equestrian Federation of Hong Kong, China (1st left); Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (2nd right); Ingmar De Vos, President of the Fédération Équestre Internationale (2nd left); and Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (1st right).

The FEI General Assembly governs the overall direction, development and management of FEI Sport worldwide. It takes place in a different location each year. With support from the Club in partnership with the Equestrian Federation of Hong Kong, China (EFHKC), the General Assembly is taking place in Hong Kong from 4 to 7 November this year.

Attendees at the welcome reception included Ingmar De Vos, President of FEI; Sabrina Ibáñez, Secretary General of FEI; The Hon. Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Lester Huang, Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and President of EFHKC; Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; and around 240 National Federation representatives, stakeholders and guests from over 70 countries and regions.

The Hon. Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (2nd left); Lester Huang, Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and President of the Equestrian Federation of Hong Kong, China (1st left); Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (2nd right); Ingmar De Vos, President of the Fédération Équestre Internationale (centre); and Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (1st right) attend the welcome reception of the 2025 FEI General Assembly at Happy Valley Racecourse and enjoy the stunning racecourse scenery.

Speaking at the reception, Club Chairman The. Hon Martin Liao said: “We are honoured that the Fédération Equestre Internationale has chosen Hong Kong to host this year’s General Assembly. Just like the Federation, the Club is a global leader in horse sports. We nurture equestrian sports at the grass roots level through our three public riding schools, which we have run for the past 50 years, and at the elite level through our support for the Hong Kong, China equestrian team in partnership with the Equestrian Federation of Hong Kong, China. The Club is also renowned for its expertise in co-hosting major equestrian events. We have built state-of-the-art training and racecourse facilities in Conghua that will host world-class racing from next October in what promises to be a major milestone in the sport’s development. This will build capability and capacity and offer us a springboard to promote all forms of equine sports in the Chinese Mainland.”

The Hon. Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said the 2025 FEI General Assembly would provide ample opportunities for the global equestrian community to reconnect, while showcasing Hong Kong’s capabilities as an international hub.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class horse sports and entertainment organisation with a strong commitment to the country and Hong Kong. It has long been a staunch supporter of major sports events. It funded and constructed the competition venues and provided veterinary support for the equestrian events of the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Club also supported the equestrian events of the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and provided technical support for the equestrian events of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Delegates enjoy Happy Wednesday racing at Happy Valley Racecourse.

The Club has committed more than HK$500 million to support the Hong Kong and Guangdong competition regions at this year’s 15th National Games, 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG). It is sole Partner Sponsor for the Hong Kong competition region and will provide technical support for the equestrian events in the Guangdong competition region as well as deploy an expert team to provide support and equipment that aligns with the highest standards.

Delegates enjoy Happy Wednesday racing at Happy Valley Racecourse.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club), as the sole Partner Sponsor of the Hong Kong Competition Region of this year’s National Games, today (24 November) announced cash incentives to support HKSAR athletes competing in the upcoming 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities.

The flag presentation ceremony for the HKSAR delegation to the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NGD & NSOG) was held at Tiu Keng Leng Sports Centre today. Attending guests included: HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Sun Shang-wu; HKSAR Government Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law; China Hong Kong Paralympic Committee President Jenny Fung; President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China Timothy Fok; and Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Lester Huang.

The upcoming NGD & NSOG will cover 46 sports, including the NGD & NSOG The Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy Wheelchair Fencing Competition and the NGD & NSOG The Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy Para Table Tennis (T11) Competition, which will be held in Hong Kong. To encourage HKSAR athletes, the Club will, for the first time, provide cash incentives under the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme (JCAIAS) in all medal categories of the NGD, with individual and team gold medallists receiving HK$187,500 and HK$375,000 respectively (See table below for details).

Lester Huang expressed his wholehearted support for the city’s para athletes, encouraging them to follow the inspiring example of HKSAR athletes at the 15th National Games. “The Hong Kong team has written a new and glorious chapter in our city’s sporting history with a total of 19 medals, including nine golds, two silvers and eight bronzes. The Club has long promoted sport at community and elite levels, enabling people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to participate. We therefore wish every HKSAR athlete the very best of luck at the upcoming 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games.”

The three-year JCAIAS was launched in 2023. Under the scheme, the Club sponsors the Hong Kong Sports Institute to provide cash awards to Hong Kong, China athletes who excel in major sporting events. These include the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games, World University Games, National Games together with their respective Winter Games and the National Games for Persons with Disabilities.

In support of the National Games, the Club has committed over HK$500 million to the Hong Kong and Guangdong Competition Regions. In the Hong Kong Competition Region, it is supporting volunteer service programmes, territory-wide community and school promotional activities, as well as initiatives to help underprivileged groups and young people attend the events as spectators. Some 100 members from the Club’s Volunteer Team are helping out as Group Volunteers in the Hong Kong Competition Region.

In the Guangdong Competition Region, the Club is providing high-quality technical support for the equestrian events in Shenzhen, leveraging its extensive experience in organising horse sports competitions. To help ensure the equestrian events are conducted to a high standard, the Club is also deploying an expert team and loaning specialist equipment. Additionally, the Club will support the Guangdong Competition Region’s official activities, volunteer services and promotion work.