In Olympics, Hong Kongers see another side of their favorite animal
11/8/2008 17:35
For local Hong Kongers, they couldn't be more familiar with horses: the
city owns two state-of-the-art horse racetracks and news about the racing is
always a hot topic on TV, radio and in newspapers.
But this August, they
would find their equine pals somehow quite down. Instead of galloping around the
racetracks, they just take a few leisurely strolls on an empty ground, or show
occasional footwork, or, when they are in good mood, do some simple
jumping.
From Aug. 9 to 21, equestrian events, the first-ever Olympic sport
the city hosts, are indeed offering Hong Kongers a brand new look of their
favorite animal.
On the first day of the 11-day competition, quite some Hong
Kong spectators left the Shatin equestrian arena before the dressage event wound
up. A boy told reporters that the competition was "boring" and far different
from what he had expected.
Another woman, after moments of hesitation, said
she preferred to describe the event as "quiet".
But as the event went on,
especially when the more entertaining jumping and cross-country disciplines are
kicking off, spectators began to enjoy the game, if not appreciate it.
At
today's cross-country event, the crowd burst into cheers when the horses made
successful jumping and let out sighs of regrets when they failed.
When
Chinese rider Hua Tian fell from the horse as he attempted to clear the hurdles
in morning's cross-country competition, the spectators sighed heavily for the
drama.
EQUESTRIAN FANS
Nevertheless, the city is not without real
equestrian fans. Douglas Chan, a private doctor, would never miss the
competition, which, in his words, is probably an "once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity".
"The beauty of the game lies in the perfect combination of man
and the animal when they are doing some very difficult moves," he said.
In
order to see his favorite sport, Chan need to get up early in the morning and
spend hours in traffic and security checks before entering the arena in Shatin,
but he said it was still very worthwhile.
Chan said he hoped that equestrian
events could become more popular in Hong Kong, as a complement to the
already-feverish horse racing. "This would change the myth that equestrianism
only belongs to the noble few," he said.
POPULARIZING THE SPORT
Sam Lai,
an equestrian officer with the Hong Kong Jockey Club Tuen Mun Public Riding
School, is one of the Hong Kongers who dedicate themselves to popularizing the
game.
The hosting of equestrian events in Hong Kong has offered a chance for
Hong Kong people to get familiarized with the game, especially the basics of the
game, said Lai.
In fact, since the news that Hong Kong would host the Olympic
equestrian events hit the city in 2005, the popularity of sport has already
undergone a boost among ordinary citizens.
The Tuen Mun Public Riding School,
where Lai works, had to install ten more stalls and introduce ten new horses to
meet public demand for learning. Other riding schools under Hong Kong Jockey
Club also had plans to upgrade their facilities.
Now, more than 1,000 people
are on the waiting list of the city's three public riding schools and many of
them have to wait for another one to three years to get enrolled, according to
sources from the Jockey Club.
"The sport would definitely be more popular
after the Games," said Lai.
Xinhua
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