Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show: glitz, glamour and four-legged performers
Five-star show jumping event returns to city for second year, and Hong Kong teen Carrie Wang gives crowd display they wanted
The Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show brought glitz, glamour and various types of four-legged performers to the city on Friday, with some equestrian stars of tomorrow strutting their stuff alongside the world’s best.
Back for a second year, favourites old and new got the three-day event off to an impressive start at AsiaWorld-Expo. A dog and pony show it is not, even if both do feature heavily this weekend.
Hans-Dieter Dreher laid down a marker for the coming days in the Longines Welcome Stakes, the opening five-star show jumping event, while Hong Kong’s Carrie Wang Ka-lee, riding Little Lady Van’t Eigenlo, placed third in the first round of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Asian Youth Challenge Competition.
And away from the arena, classic cars, a shopping village and gourmet treats gave those not enthralled by the sight of athletes and horses performing at the pinnacle of their powers something else to do.
Wang had been and gone before the show was even officially opened, but the 15-year-old gave the home crowd exactly the start they wanted.
“I’m very excited and I have been looking forward to this competition,” Wang said. “She [Little Lady] performed really well, she was really excited in the ring and we look forward to tomorrow.”