Lap of luxury for Olympic horses in Hong Kong

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Lap of luxury for Olympic horses in Hong Kong

Artist's impression of the 2008 Olympic equestrian competition venue at night.   The best conditions possible for horses competing in the Olympic events at Hong Kong later this year have been promised by organisers.   Significant construction work, a world-class laboratory, 5-star stabling, a first-class veterinary clinic, mobile horse-cooling units and green waste management are just some of the principle features. These Games are breaking new ground in terms of attention to detail at every level. Innovative and well-established ideas are combining to create a safe, clean and functional sporting environment in which those coveted Olympic medals can become the entire focus.   The HKJC has invested over HK$1.2 billion in creating venues and facilities for the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic equestrian events. Construction work has included the modification of the Hong Kong Sports Institute which is located next to HKJC headquarters at Sha Tin Racecourse on the outskirts of the city, while at Penfold Park, which lies at the very centre of Sha-Tin race-track, a training and competition area has been developed. The Club has also provided facilities at the Hong Kong Golf Club and the Beas River Country Club for the cross-country phase of the Eventing discipline. The venue was handed over by the HKJC to the organisers of the Olympic Equestrian Events - Equestrian Events (Hong Kong) of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad Company Limited (the Equestrian Company) for a final dress-up on 26 May. Sha Tin

Lap of luxury for Olympic horses in Hong Kong

The Olympic competition arena has grandstand seating for about 18,000 spectators.The main competition arena is located at Sha Tin and has a seating capacity of about 18,000 with a supporting warm-up arena. A total of 13 ancillary training rings include two for general use, five for dressage, four for both dressage and jumping, one specifically for jumping only and an indoor air-conditioned ring. Penfold Park also embraces an 800m cross-country training track and schooling area along with a 1200m all-weather bridle path and a turf gallop.   Office and hospitality areas are available at the Hong Kong Sports Institute, but one of the most talked-about developments has been at the Olympic stable complex.  

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Steed · 发表于 2008-6-30 08:44:00

Stabling <img src="attachments/dvbbs/2008-6/20086308212519732.jpg" border="0" onclick="zoom(this)" onload="if(this.width>document.body.clientWidth*0.5) {this.resized=true;this.width=document.body.clientWidth*0.5;this.style.cursor='pointer';} else {this.onclick=null}" alt="" />The new Olympic stables provides a comfortable and safe environment for horses.<img src="attachments/dvbbs/2008-6/20086308214494796.jpg" border="0" onclick="zoom(this)" onload="if(this.width>document.body.clientWidth*0.5) {this.resized=true;this.width=document.body.clientWidth*0.5;this.style.cursor='pointer';} else {this.onclick=null}" alt="" />Timbers manufactured from recycled bamboo are used in the horse stalls.Construction started in July 2006 and by May 2007 four blocks of air-conditioned stables, totalling 225 stalls, were completed and ready to accommodate 200 horses while another 25 have been set aside for reserves. Each stall measures 3.6 x 3.6 meters, which is bigger than normal Olympic standard, and each unit measures 6.4 meters at its highest point. The barns are designed to maximise the benefits of the 24-hour air-conditioning system which will have a set temperature of 23 degrees Centigrade. Cool and hot air will be prevented from exiting or entering the stable blocks by the provision of an air curtain, while additional circulation will be provided by ceiling fans and the louvred ceiling windows and stall-windows can be opened in case of air-conditioning breakdown. Each stable will have an automatic drinker and a revolving feed bowl and each block will have ice-making machines producing 250 lbs of ice per day - an important ingredient in the cooling of horses after exercise. For the first time ever at an Olympic venue a rolling box, measuring 20.5 square meters, will be provided to allow horses the opportunity to relax, stretch and play. Security measures include 24-hour CCTV covering all areas and security sensors at entry to each stable which will trigger an alarm in the event of an after-hours break-in.  Staying green <img src="attachments/dvbbs/2008-6/2008630822553531.jpg" border="0" onclick="zoom(this)" onload="if(this.width>document.body.clientWidth*0.5) {this.resized=true;this.width=document.body.clientWidth*0.5;this.style.cursor='pointer';} else {this.onclick=null}" alt="" />Earthworm vermicomposting will be used to recycle the waste.<img src="attachments/dvbbs/2008-6/20086308222218541.jpg" border="0" onclick="zoom(this)" onload="if(this.width>document.body.clientWidth*0.5) {this.resized=true;this.width=document.body.clientWidth*0.5;this.style.cursor='pointer';} else {this.onclick=null}" alt="" />The club has adopted a policy of recycling all its horse manure and stable waste into environmentally friendly fertiliser and pledged that 100% of the Olympic and racing stables waste will be recycled.Wide walkways will be an important component of the stable blocks and, in keeping with the "Green" initiative of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, these will be made from recycled tyres as will the stable floors. Wood engineered from sustainable bamboo has been used in the construction of the stable blocks and all organic stable wastes including manure, food waste and bedding - straw, wood shavings and newspaper - will be collected and recycled using a vermicomposting process to produce organic fertilizer. This process was first put into action during the Good Luck Beijing - HKSAR 10th Anniversary Cup Eventing competition last August which served as a Test Event. Each day, 10 tons of waste from the Olympic stables went to the recycling plant where it was fed to earthworms. This August 100% of stable wastes from the Sha Tin Olympic venue will go through similar treatments and it is anticipated that more than 30 tons will be processed each day. During site construction some 90% of trees at the Hong Kong Sports Institute were retained in their original positions while others were transplanted. At both the cross-country and core venues, 500 new trees and some 17,000 new shrubs were planted while fewer than 50 trees were felled, mostly because they were diseased or dying. Building work inside Penfold Park was sequenced to minimise the impact on the habitat of its resident bird population of egrets during their breeding season, and energy-saving lighting systems will be in operation in both the stabling arena and in the main and training arenas. 

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Steed · 发表于 2008-6-30 08:53:00

Veterinary services <img src="attachments/dvbbs/2008-6/20086308223960093.jpg" border="0" onclick="zoom(this)" onload="if(this.width>document.body.clientWidth*0.5) {this.resized=true;this.width=document.body.clientWidth*0.5;this.style.cursor='pointer';} else {this.onclick=null}" alt="" />Dr Keith Watkins briefs Animal Welfare Advisory Group representatives on FEI welfare protocols in the dedicated Olympic Equine Clinic.The HKJC will make its Equine Hospital facilities and services available for emergency operations during the Olympic and Paralympic periods. Its operating theatre, anaesthetic and recovery rooms and clinical laboratory will be on call along with the 44-strong team that includes veterinarians, nurses, laboratory technicians, administrative staff and farriers. A separate Equine Clinic for diagnosis and treatment during the quarantine and Games period has also been built at the Olympic venue. Adjacent to the main stabling compound, it has two examination rooms, a dedicated pharmacy and 10 observation stables. A forge and shoeing bays are situated beside the veterinary facility. Laboratory Another "first" for the 2008 equestrian Olympic Games in Hong Kong is the provision of a world-class on-site laboratory. The internationally acclaimed Racing Laboratory at the Hong Kong Jockey Club will test equine samples for the presence of prohibited substances and will offer elective testing to teams so that samples can be assessed for the presence of medication, such as that used for travel sickness. With a staff of 43 and equipment worth in the region of US$8 million, the laboratory conducts tests on over 18,000 equine samples a year and is the FEI's sole Reference Laboratory in Asia.  Mobile cooling units <img src="attachments/dvbbs/2008-6/20086308232279996.jpg" border="0" onclick="zoom(this)" onload="if(this.width>document.body.clientWidth*0.5) {this.resized=true;this.width=document.body.clientWidth*0.5;this.style.cursor='pointer';} else {this.onclick=null}" alt="" />Cooling stations, equipped with fans, have been installed in all training and competition venues. The indoor arena, below, is also air-conditioned.The welfare of the horse is, as always, paramount and state-of-the-art mobile cooling units are expected to play an important role in assisting the equine athletes throughout the Games. Manned by veterinary staff, they can be quickly put into operation and will be placed at strategic locations around the Eventing cross-country course at Beas River Country Club and the adjacent golf course in Sheung Shui. The legacy

Lap of luxury for Olympic horses in Hong Kong

After the 2008 Olympics, facilities at the Hong Kong Sports Institute will be refurbished and upgraded to provide a much-improved training environment for Hong Kong's athletes. Sand footings from the equestrian arenas will be re-used to upgrade local riding school facilities and Penfold Park will be retained for the public as an interactive equine park. The HKJC is planning to build a Museum there to promote the Olympic movement and to commemorate Hong Kong's historic hosting of the 2008 Olympic equestrian events. 

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Lap of luxury for Olympic horses in Hong Kong

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