The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) has pledged its full support to the Hong Kong, China team competing in the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao together with Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges attended the flag presentation ceremony today (1 September) to give the delegation a heartfelt send-off ahead of the Games. The Club will provide cash incentive awards for medallists at the Games.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club's Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (left, first row) together with Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (right, first row) attended the flag presentation ceremony. Photo source: The Hong Kong Jockey Club
The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said that as a world-class equine sports organisation, the Club has consistently supported sports development at the elite and community levels through a wide range of initiatives, also aiming to broaden participation in sport at the grass-roots level. Initiatives include the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme, through which the Club provides cash incentives to Hong Kong, China athletes to encourage excellence at major events. He noted that, in doing so, the Club aims to inspire peak performance in elite competitions. On behalf of the Club, he wished the Hong Kong, China team every success at the 20th Asian Games.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club's Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (center) together with the athletes, Photo source: The Hong Kong Jockey Club
In August, the Club announced a new cycle of the JCAIAS, supporting its implementation by the Hong Kong Sports Institute. The scheme will cover seven major upcoming sporting events. The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, scheduled to take place from 19 September to 4 October 2026, will be the first major event under the new JCAIAS cycle. The Club will provide cash awards to members of the Hong Kong, China team who win gold, silver and bronze medals in individual and team events. Gold medallists in individual and team events will receive HK$1 million and HK$2 million, respectively.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has pledged its full support to the Hong Kong, China team competing in the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. Photo source: The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme - Details of Cash Incentives:
Gold
Individual: HK$1,000,000/Team: HK$2,000,000
Silver
Individual: HK$500,000/Team: HK$1,000,000
Bronze
Individual: HK$250,000/Team: HK$500,000
As an increasing number of Hong Kong residents choose to live, work and retire on the Chinese Mainland, the demand for cross-boundary social welfare services continues to grow. Ongoing innovation in social welfare services is therefore necessary for the sector to meet the evolving needs of society. In response, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has approved a donation of nearly HK$70 million to support Connecting Hearts Limited in launching the three-year Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead programme.
Chris Sun, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government (3rd left); Bernard Chan, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (3rd right); Alice Lau, Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government (2nd left); Edward To, Director of Social Welfare of the HKSAR Government (2nd right); Peter Douglas Koon, Chairman of the Connecting Hearts Limited (1st left); and Professor Annie Tam, Vice Chairperson of the Connecting Hearts Limited and President of the Connecting Hearts Academy (1st right), officiate at the launch ceremony of the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead Capacity Building Programme (Cohort 1). Photo source: HKJC
The programme is built on two pillars: capacity building and integration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). It aims to enhance the professional capabilities and leadership capacity of Hong Kong’s social welfare sector, promote cooperation in welfare services across the GBA and develop sustainable, high-quality service models for the region. The Launch Ceremony cum Pilot Class of the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead Capacity Building Programme (Cohort 1) was held today (18 August), with some 400 participants in attendance.
Officiating guests at the launch ceremony included Chris Sun, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government; Bernard Chan, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Alice Lau, Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government; Edward To, Director of Social Welfare of the HKSAR Government; Peter Douglas Koon, Chairman of Connecting Hearts Limited; and Professor Annie Tam, Vice Chairperson of the Connecting Hearts Limited and President of the Connecting Hearts Academy.
Club Steward Bernard Chan delivers a speech at the launch ceremony of the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead Capacity Building Programme (Cohort 1). Photo source: HKJC
As a patriotic organisation with a strong commitment to Hong Kong, the Club has consistently leveraged its unique strengths to serve society’s priorities and contribute to the country’s high-quality development. It also actively responds to the National 15th Five-Year Plan and supports measures that facilitate Hong Kong residents’ development and daily lives in the Chinese Mainland. Speaking at the ceremony, Club Steward Bernard Chan said that the Club is supporting the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead programme in response to the growing demand for cross-boundary welfare services among Hong Kong residents in the GBA. He encouraged participants to make full use of this valuable opportunity to deepen their understanding of national development and welfare service practices on the Chinese Mainland. This will enable them to contribute to the long-term advancement of the social welfare sector in alignment with overall national development.
Group photo, Photo source: HKJC
Under the capacity building pillar, the programme aims to nurture a new generation of social welfare professionals equipped with expertise, leadership skills and innovative thinking to address emerging challenges arising from demographic changes, technological advancement and a rising demand for cross-regional services. The programme is expected to provide training for 1,780 social welfare professionals. Initiatives include specialised training for middle management staff to gain a deeper understanding of welfare services in the GBA, overseas study visits for industry practitioners to learn about service innovation and data application, and sponsorships for social workers with potential as future sector leaders to pursue master’s degree programmes locally or overseas.
Participants attend the pilot class of the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead Capacity Building Programme (Cohort 1). Photo source: HKJC
Under the GBA integration pillar, the programme will promote deeper collaboration between social welfare organisations in Hong Kong and throughout the region. Building on the memoranda of understanding already signed between welfare agencies, the programme is expected to incubate around 100 cross-boundary collaborative concepts in areas including services for older adults, children and families, rehabilitation and mental health, poverty alleviation, development of the welfare sector, volunteering and others. Fifteen initiatives demonstrating strong potential will receive additional funding to be developed into pilot programmes, serving as replicable and sustainable cross-boundary service models that provide more comprehensive and higher-quality welfare services for Hong Kong residents in the region.
Participants attend the pilot class of the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead Capacity Building Programme (Cohort 1). Photo source: HKJC
The Club’s support for the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead programme, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.
