EEM is proud to announce the Hong Kong Jockey Club as founding partner of the Longines Masters of Hong Kong 2016
16th February 2016 Hong Kong
16th February 2016 Hong Kong
This year the Longines Masters of Hong Kong will take place at AsiaWorld-Expo from February 19 to 21. A must-go sporting and social event it promises a unique experience of spectacular sporting action, luxury lifestyle and fantastic entertainment - all under one roof.
The opening night on Friday, 19 February will see the third edition of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy and the spectacular return of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Race of The Riders.
Unique to the Asian leg of the Longines Masters, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Race of The Riders connects show jumping with horse racing. It is a rare opportunity for jockeys to demonstrate their horsemanship beyond the racetrack.
The race pairs four leading Hong Kong based jockeys - Derek Leung, Neil Callan, Vincent Ho and João Moreira - with four of the world’s elite show jumpers - Bertram Allen, Simon Delestre, Marco Kutscher and Jacqueline Lai - who will coach their partners on how best to tackle the course and take the jumps.
There are two rounds. In the first round each pair takes on the course in a relay race. In the second round, the two teams with the best times compete for the top two places, while the remaining pairs contest third and fourth places.
The teams have been paired up as follows: Joao Moreira/Marco Kutscher (The Magic); Neil Callan/Bertram Allen (The Irish Flames); Vincent Ho/Simon Delestre (The Speed Masters); and Derek Leung/Jacqueline Lai (The Hong Kong Dynamic Duo).
Local jockey Derek Leung has already started his preparations and is training at the HKJC’s Beas River Equestrian Centre. Derek is so looking forward to his debut in this Race.
“I’m very excited and honored to be representing the HKJC in this innovative event and really looking forward to attempt equestrian first time in my career. I will be training very hard at Beas River”, said Derek.
In lead up to the event, The HKJC ‘Race of the Riders’ “Vote for Your Favourite Team concluded on Thursday 4th February and a total of 3,124 votes were received over the two week period. The Magic topped all votes with a total of 1,780, followed by The Hong Kong Dynamic Duo with 603 votes. The Irish Flames and The Speed Masters received 492 and 249 votes. Hence, The Magic, Joao Moreira and Marco Kutscher, will appear as the closing team entering the HKJC ‘Race of the Riders’ on 19th February.
A new highlight this year is the HKJC Horse Pavilion in the Prestige Village. Comprising three stables it will give visitors the chance to get up close and personal with the real heroes of the sport - the horses. The Pavilion will be open on Friday February 19 from 3pm-11pm, Saturday 20 February from 9am-10:30pm and Sunday February 21 from 9am-2:45pm.
Away from the competition arena some of the biggest names in equestrianism will also be assisting with the HKJC Master Classes, helping to train Hong Kong’s equestrian stars of the future. Maikel Can der Vleuten, Henrick von Eckermann, Jane Richard Philips and Joe Clee will be providing the very best in coaching to selected members of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Junior Equestrian Training Squad (JETS).
In the lead-up to the Longines Masters of Hong Kong a special evening will be held at the HKJC’s Happy Valley race meeting on Wednesday 17 February.
As a prelude to the evening a select group of show jumping riders will visit the racecourse. They will be available at 6:30pm at the weigh-in room for official photographs with jockeys, HKJC Officials and EEM Officials.
