The Hong Kong Jockey Club (“the Club”) is pleased to support the 2025 Fédération Equestre Internationale (“FEI”) General Assembly – some 27 years after Hong Kong last staged the General Assembly to advance equestrian sport and reinforce its status as a leading global hub. It hosted a welcome reception at Happy Valley Racecourse tonight (5 November) to kick off the FEI General Assembly week and to showcase the uniqueness of horse racing and racecourse entertainment.
The FEI General Assembly governs the overall direction, development and management of FEI Sport worldwide. It takes place in a different location each year. With support from the Club in partnership with the Equestrian Federation of Hong Kong, China (EFHKC), the General Assembly is taking place in Hong Kong from 4 to 7 November this year.
Attendees at the welcome reception included Ingmar De Vos, President of FEI; Sabrina Ibáñez, Secretary General of FEI; The Hon. Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Lester Huang, Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and President of EFHKC; Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; and around 240 National Federation representatives, stakeholders and guests from over 70 countries and regions.
Speaking at the reception, Club Chairman The. Hon Martin Liao said: “We are honoured that the Fédération Equestre Internationale has chosen Hong Kong to host this year’s General Assembly. Just like the Federation, the Club is a global leader in horse sports. We nurture equestrian sports at the grass roots level through our three public riding schools, which we have run for the past 50 years, and at the elite level through our support for the Hong Kong, China equestrian team in partnership with the Equestrian Federation of Hong Kong, China. The Club is also renowned for its expertise in co-hosting major equestrian events. We have built state-of-the-art training and racecourse facilities in Conghua that will host world-class racing from next October in what promises to be a major milestone in the sport’s development. This will build capability and capacity and offer us a springboard to promote all forms of equine sports in the Chinese Mainland.”
The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class horse sports and entertainment organisation with a strong commitment to the country and Hong Kong. It has long been a staunch supporter of major sports events. It funded and constructed the competition venues and provided veterinary support for the equestrian events of the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Club also supported the equestrian events of the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and provided technical support for the equestrian events of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.
The Club has committed more than HK$500 million to support the Hong Kong and Guangdong competition regions at this year’s 15th National Games, 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG). It is sole Partner Sponsor for the Hong Kong competition region and will provide technical support for the equestrian events in the Guangdong competition region as well as deploy an expert team to provide support and equipment that aligns with the highest standards.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class sports and entertainment organisation that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2024/25, the Club returned a total of HK$39.1 billion to the community. This included HK$30.1 billion to the HKSAR Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$9.0 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is one of the world’s leading charity donors.
