Hong Kong to hold test event August 2007

Posted 15:42, Thursday, 14/9/2006 by Russell Hall

Hong Kong's Olympic organizers will hold an invitational event next August to test facilities for the 2008 Olympics.
Olympics organizer Lam Woon- kwong said he will invite countries with a good history in equestrian competition, and more than 10 horses will be flown in for the event.

Spectators will also help test the ticketing system.

As facilities already exist at Sha Tin, Hong Kong only needs to construct a new facility at Sheung Shui, and convert a section of Fan Ling golf course where the cross-country event will be held, Lam said.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong Jockey Club said all the key contracts have now been awarded.

"Following the completion of the two training areas at the Hong Kong Sports Institute - one sand and one grass - construction of the air-conditioned main stabling complex, which will accommodate more than 200 horses, is under way and expected to be finished by next May," he said.

During the actual Olympic events in 2008, about 220 horses are expected to arrive, with another 80 for the Paralympics that follow.

Lam said horses will be quarantined for seven days before traveling to Hong Kong, and for a further 10 days on arrival to prevent infection and the spread of diseases.

This is a shorter period than that used in Sydney for the 2000 Olympics when horses were quarantined for two weeks on arrival.

Since equestrian competition differs from horse racing, Lam's team is currently monitoring how events are held in Germany, he said.

When elected as the new chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club last week, John Chan Cho-chak said: "We believe that the club's world-class facilities can help ensure that the events go off smoothly and successfully for the organizers and competitors alike.

"This is also an enormous opportunity for Hong Kong to raise its sporting profile internationally and benefit from the permanent legacy created by these new equestrian venues."

Meanwhile, a consultant from the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine will be seconded to the SAR government to help scrutinize horses for the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic equestrian events.

This was the message from Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Carrie Yau Tsang Ka-lai after meeting with mainland officials in Beijing Thursday.

Yau called on Beijing Organizing Committee executive vice president Yang Shu'an to exchange views on the equine quarantine and health issues.

She also had a meeting with Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine director general Yu Taiwei and Li Yuanping, director of the Import and Export Food Security Bureau.

Hong Kong gearing up for Olympic action

Posted 15:06, Thursday, 14/9/2006 by Russell Hall

(Officail press release) – Good time management and planning is key to making the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian Events in Hong Kong a success, said Lam Woon-kwong, the boss of HK Equestrian Events Company here on Thursday.

Lam said Hong Kong has a wealth of experience in staging international events but it's the first time for them to run an Olympic equestrian event, especially with less than three years to prepare.

Lam said: "Among the 28 sports in the summer Olympics, equestrian events are the most complicated. The decision to move the equestrian games from Beijing was made last July, so time for preparation is tight and we have to race against time.

"But with government and community co-operation and support, I am confident the Olympics equestrian games to be staged here will be a success," said he.

To better understand the organisation, preparation and operation of such events, Lam led a team Thursday to a one-week tour to the (WEG) 2006 in Aachen, Germany, which is the biggest equestrian event before the 2008 Olympics.

Lam said the visit will focus on the cross-country contest, including programme rundown, crowd management, security, medical services, adjudication and media arrangements.

"The 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian Events will last three weeks. Compared with jumping and dressage, the cross-country test in eventing is more difficult and demanding. For audiences, the cross-country test is the most interesting, but for us it is the most intricate in terms of arrangement. Therefore, the event requires thorough preparation, flawless arrangement and sufficient safety measures.

"Hong Kong has extensive experience in horse racing. However, the sport is entirely different from equestrian games. Take dressage for example, competitors are judged on their display of horsemanship skills as they dance their horses to the music using a series of commands for walk, trot and canter. Hosting the Olympic equestrian events is a challenge for Hong Kong."

The Olympic equestrian games will comprise three disciplines - dressage, show jumping and eventing - involving up to 220 horses. Six sets of medals will be fought for in the three disciplines' individual and team events. About 80 horses will compete in the Paralympic Games.

To bring in the horses, discussions with the International Federation for Equestrian Sports on the detailed arrangements are underway.

Lam said: "In the past six months, we have been working meticulously on the quarantine protocol, trying to strike a balance among different stake-holders. We have come to a stage where almost all agree with the detailed arrangements, which are being fine-tuned and will be announced before the end of this year,"

He said that Hong Kong has good experience and credentials in equine health. The city's hot and humid summer weather should not pose serious problems for the animals.

"Judging from past Olympic equestrian games, high temperature is not a problem. Humidity may be a concern but Kuala Lumpur always hosts world equestrian events despite its hot and humid weather, and participating horses have not presented any health problems so far.

"The important thing is to make arrangements for horses to cool down in the shortest possible time after the games. We will make sure such facilities are in order."

Lam also revealed that they are thinking of renting a hotel instead of building a athletes village.

"The hotel's facilities will have to meet International Olympic Committee requirements and it must be in a location convenient for athletes to travel to the competition venues in Sha Tin and Sheung Shui, " said Lam.

So far the closest challenge for Hong Kong is a test event, which will be held next August, one year before the Olympics, to test various aspects of the games, such as competition venues, accreditation, transportation, medical services and event management.

"Although the scale of the test event will only be one-tenth of the Olympic equestrian games, the test run will help us find out problems and have them fixed early. The test event is also one of our work priorities," added Lam.

Related link (Official Website Of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad): Hong Kong gearing up for Olympic action

GB given gold after appeal

Posted 11:01, Sunday, 22/8/2004 by Russell Hall

Britain's Leslie Law has been awarded individual gold in the three-day event after Germany were stripped of their gold medal following an appeal.

The decision also means Britain's team bronze has been upgraded to silver, and Pippa Funnell takes individual bronze.

The appeal came after the Germans were given first place following their protest against against a 12-point penalty to Bettina Hoy.

Hoy was penalised for apparently crossing the start line twice.

Law admitted he had sympathy for Hoy, despite being upgraded to gold after her penalty points were re-instated.

"My heart goes out to her. It was not that her performance lacked. It was just an unfortunate error," he said.

"But it's a great result for the Brits all round. I'm very pleased for everybody."

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), sitting in Athens, ruled Hoy should have suffered time penalties in Wednesday's show jumping final, costing her the individual gold and Germany the team title.

The decision means she drops out of the top three altogether.

"For a rider this is worse than a catastrophe but we must accept the decision," said Reinhard Wendt, head of the German equestrian team.

"All I want to do now is stand in the corner and howl."

Hoy was was unaware of the decision when it was announced as she was flying to Germany.

"She doesn't know yet," Wendt added.

France, initially awarded silver after the team event, are the new gold medallists with the United States upgraded to bronze.

French rider Nicolas Touzaint said: "Justice has been done. We have the feeling that the same rules apply to everybody.

"It's a brilliant gold medal, but unfortunately there will be no Marseillaise, no podium, no lap of honour."

The British team of Law, Funnell, Jeanette Brakewell, Mary King and William Fox-Pitt will now be awarded silver medals.

Team manager Will Connell said: "I hope it won't lead to bad blood. It certainly will not from our side.

"(Bettina Hoy) made a silly mistake, a mistake that all riders are taught very early on in their career not to make.

"That is a great shame for Bettina and the Germany team but the sport must be run within the rules."


Final medal placings:

Team:
1	France
2	Britain
3	USA
Individual:
1	Leslie	Law	(GB)
2	Kimberly	Severson	(USA)
3	Pippa	Funnell	(GB)

Related link (BBC Sport): GB given gold after appeal

Eventing gold, silver and bronze for Britain

Posted 10:55, Sunday, 22/8/2004 by Russell Hall

The controversy surrounding the final placings in the three-day eventing competition in Athens has been concluded in Britain’s favour, with Germany losing dual-gold.

Leslie Law has won his first Olympic gold medal after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the combined British, French and American appeal surrounding the medal positions in the three-day event.

German rider Bettina Hoy has had her 14-point penalty for passing through the start twice reinstated, dropping her from individual gold to completely out of the medals. As a result Germany has also lost team gold.

As well as Leslie’s gold medal, the British team has moved up to silver, with Pippa Funnell taking individual bronze. The French team are now gold medal winners, with the United States in bronze. The individual silver medal has gone to Kimberly Severson of the United States.

The CAS found that the ground jury’s decision to impose a time penalty on Bettina was based on fact and therefore not open to appeal by either the rider or the German Federation under the FEI’s rules. As a result the FEI Appeal Committee’s decision has been declared null and void, leading to the reinstatement of Ground Jury’s original judgement.

David O'Connor, president of the United States Equestrian Federation said: “The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is satisfied with the decision made by the CAS and believes it is the correct outcome, maintaining the integrity of our sport. The entire affair is a very unfortunate situation for all the countries involved.

”Everyone at the USEF feels badly for the German team and especially for Bettina Hoy, because no-one wins in a situation such as this.”

Related link (Horse & Hound): Eventing gold, silver and bronze for Britain

Bettina Hoy loses appeal and medals – Appeal to the CAS on Eventing Olympic Result accepted

Posted 10:53, Sunday, 22/8/2004 by Russell Hall

Today 21 August at 16:30, the FEI received the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on the appeal of the National Olympic Committees of France, Great Britain and USA on the Eventing competition of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. The appeal was accepted by the CAS. Consequently, France earns the Team Gold Medal, Great Britain the Silver and USA the Bronze. Leslie Law (GBR) is the new Individual Olympic Champion; followed by Kimberly Severson (USA) and Pippa Funnel (GBR) (complete results will be available on www.athens2004.com as soon as corrected).

The background of the decision made by the CAS is that the FEI Appeal Committee had no jurisdiction to deal with the appeal lodged by the German Federation, against the time penalties awarded to Bettina Hoy (GER) at the conclusion of the Eventing Team Jumping and Individual Qualifier. Bettina Hoy had crossed the starting line twice before commencing her round.

The FEI Appeal Committee had concluded that, as the stadium clock had been restarted when she had crossed the starting line for the second time, the rider had no way to note that her round had already started. In order not to penalise the rider for a competition management problem, the FEI Appeal Committee had removed the 14 points penalties.

While accepting the decision of the CAS and their interpretation of FEI General Regulations on the duties of the Ground Jury and the Appeal Committee, the FEI wishes to emphasise that the decision taken by the Appeal Committee was based on Fair Play and the best interest of the sport, as well as on a different interpretation of the rules.

According to the IOC procedure, the medals will be returned by the respective National Olympic Committees to the IOC and the FEI will redistribute them in due time during a dedicated ceremony.

Related link (Official FEI web site): FEI

Medal controversy continues

Posted 10:20, Friday, 20/8/2004 by Russell Hall

Britain could yet be in line for an individual gold as the medal controversy looks set to run for some time after France, Britain and the USA announced they are prepared to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport

Yesterday provided a rollercoaster ride for the top-placed eventing Olympians and their team trainers as the medal board switched twice within the space of an hour at the Markopoulo Equestrian Centre.

But now, it seems, the fiasco is far from over, with the announcement that the second, third - and fourth - placed teams will be taking the case further, and exploring every avenue up as far as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). This means that further changes in the medal positions cannot be ruled out.

There is still a huge amount of confusion surrounding precisely what happened during the team jumping final yesterday afternoon, when the ground jury noticed that the lynch pin of the Gold-medal winning German team, Betting Hoy, had crossed the start line more than once.

"No-one really knows what happened" was the word in the grandstand today, with further discussions expected as the French, in particular, dispute the gold medal which was theirs for one meagre hour yesterday evening.

"First of all we would like to point out that we all pay respect and admiration for Bettina's performance today," said French silver medallist Didier Courreges.

"We are not happy with the final results and we feel it is not so difficult to understand why. At first we were pleased with our silver medal, then we cheered about being awarded the gold when the official results were published. Now we are back into silver position and we do not like it!

"We feel that the decision is not fair. Our federation will put a further formal protest against the Appeal Committee's decision."

But although it seems that whatever the mix up in the judges' box, Bettina did cross the start line twice and should be penalised for doing so, the Appeal Committee remained adamant yesterday evening that their decision was the correct one.

"We looked into the situation and we all agreed that the incident was primarily caused by an error in the management of the competition. The clock should not have been restarted," stressed Hugh Thomas, a member of the committee.

"When errors occur in the management of a competition it is right to make sure that the rider does not pay the consequences. Bettina Hoy had every right to believe that the time started only when she crossed the start line the second time," he added.

Britain stands to gain in both the team and individual competition, with Leslie Law poised to move up into the individual gold medal position should Bettina Hoy and Ringwood Cockatoo be relegated.

If Germany accrues the debated 12 penalties, it would not be the first time that a major competition had been lost on a technicality. Mark Todd was eliminated at Burghley in 1994 with Bertie Blunt after missing a start flag in Phase A of the speed and endurance. He had been lying in fourth after the dressage.

British team manager Yogi Breisner was quite clear that in this game, fair is fair and competitors should abide by the rules, however technical they may be. "If someone had gone the wrong side of the flag on the cross country then they would have been eliminated. The rules are the rules," he said.

The furore has cast a shadow over the event, with some competitors labelling it a farce, but eventing fans are likely to have to wait a little longer for the final outcome, as Phillip Pope, at Team GB in Athens, explains: "From hereon, the process will take a matter of days rather than weeks.

"We have approached the FEI to establish that we have explored all other avenues open to us, and the next move is to present our case to the Court of Arbitration. We would expect it to happen fairly speedily."

Related link (Horse & Hound): Medal controversy continues

Sport Court Could Resolve Riding Row

Posted 10:18, Friday, 20/8/2004 by Russell Hall

British Olympic officials are expected to launch their appeal against yesterday’s three-day event result to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 24 hours.

A response is currently awaited from the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) later today to see whether all normal channels of appeal have been exhausted following Bettina Hoy’s controversial victory at the Markopoulo Equestrian Centre.

The British camp have already succeeded in overturning Hoy’s triumph – and that of Germany in the team event – once, but Leslie Law’s hopes of landing gold were dashed within three hours as the appeal judges ruled in Hoy’s favour over the double-start row that clouded the second of her three show-jumping rounds.

Law has already received his silver medal for the individual event, with Britain picking up a team bronze.

But, after a two-hour meeting between GB chef de mission Simon Clegg and his French and American counterparts, whose teams also stand to gain if a decision goes against Hoy, it has been decided to pursue the matter as far as they can.

“We have asked the FEI if we have exhausted their appeals process,” said Clegg.

“If we have, we will be lodging a formal appeal with CAS within 24 hours.

“We are putting a lot of work into this but we owe it to our athletes to challenge the verdict.

“As I understand it, it is a black and white case. Every rider knows once they cross the start-line their round has begun. If they choose not to jump the first fence, that is their problem.”

Rules state that riders are allowed 45 seconds after the bell rings to start their round. However Hoy, who lives in Gloucestershire, went across the start-line but did not begin her round, turning a circle instead.

The judge had already started the clock and counted 14 seconds from when she made the circle towards the start line before putting the clock back to zero again when she crossed the start for a second time.

Even if the appeal – which could also see Pippa Funnell land an individual bronze – Law will not be around as the three-day event team fly out of Athens tonight.

The rider was critical of the judges in the aftermath of last night’s row, particularly as he fell foul of a similar error in Poland two years ago that cost him 16 points.

“We are not trying to make trouble but the rules are the rules,” he said.

“Some of the judges should be answerable. The way the whole thing has been managed is a farce.”

Ironically, there was a Briton on the appeals committee which eventually handed Hoy her medal last night. And he is in no doubt the correct decision was reached.

“We looked into the situation and we all agreed the incident was primarily caused by an error in the management of the competition,” said veteran official Hugh Thomas.

“When errors occur in the management of a competition, it is right to make sure the rider doesn’t pay the consequences.

“Bettina Hoy had every right to believe that the time started only when she crossed the start line for a second time.”

Related link (The Scotsman): Sport Court Could Resolve Riding Row

French show-jumpers to appeal medals decision

Posted 10:12, Friday, 20/8/2004 by Russell Hall

France have won the support of the United States and Britain in their appeal against Germany's gold medal in the team three-day eventing and plan to lodge it with the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Friday.

"We asked our American and British friends to gather elements of the file. We will appeal to CAS tomorrow morning or early in the afternoon." Henri Serandour, Head of the French Olympic Committee, said today.

France had initially won the team silver but took the gold after German rider Bettina Hoy was penalised for a starting line infringement in the last show-jumping stage of the three-discipline event.

Germany challenged the competition's grand jury decision and had the time penalties revoked and thus their gold reinstated. France were pushed down again to silver, followed by Britain with bronze and the U.S. in fourth.

Hoy took the individual gold ahead of Briton Leslie Law and American Kimberly Severson.

Related link (RTE Sport (Ireland)): French show-jumpers to appeal medals decision

Herald piece on Heelan

Posted 10:06, Friday, 20/8/2004 by Russell Hall

Highlights: Mark Todd, now coach of the New Zealand team, doesn't scatter compliments for the sake of it.

"[Heelan]'s a great competitor," he said. "And the horse is a little star.

"Hopefully Heelan can get another horse and get back to the top. She's a very gutsy competitor and very determined."

Tompkins has three nine-year-olds, Steel River, Portrait and Boston, all of which show promise. They will contest their first three-star event at Puhinui this year.

She is quietly proud that both she and fellow Taranaki team-mate Grayling have proved it's not essential to be based longterm in Europe to prove themselves among the best in the sport.

And as for Glengarrick? Tompkins plans to let him enjoy his retirement, with perhaps the odd fun one-day event thrown in.

Eventing's odd couple - the maverick, forthright rider and the gutsy old horse - deserved their success yesterday.


Full story can be found by following the link below

Related link (NZ Herald): Up and over for rider who fought knockers

Eventing chaos explained

Posted 22:56, Thursday, 19/8/2004 by Russell Hall

Olympic fans have come to expect controversy and scandal, but the genteel world of equestrianism had managed to keep its head well above water.

That was until Wednesday, when chaos reigned during the closing stages of the three-day eventing.

WHAT WENT WRONG?


For full story follow the link below.

Related link (BBC Sport): Eventing chaos explained