The Jockey Club’s Pok Fu Lam riding school was officially reopened on Thursday (Oct 16) after a reconstruction that was focused on better accessibility and making the most of limited space in its leafy corner of Hong Kong Island.
One of just three public riding schools in Hong Kong, the facility is built on only 0.2 hectares of land, but the rebuild will allow more members of the public to get up close to horses and experience equestrian sport.
The three-year redevelopment, costing HK$375 million and funded by the Club’s Charities Trust, was officially opened by Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairman Martin Liao Cheung-kong and Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Club Chairman and Club Public Riding School Limited Chairman The Hon Martin Liao said: “The redeveloped Pokfulam Public Riding School provides a modern and high-quality environment for the public to engage with horses and learn riding, all of which will help further popularise equestrian sport in the community. It will also nurture youth talent through the HKJC Youth Equestrian Development Programme, aiming to develop the elite athletes of the future.”
Amanda Bond, the Club’s Head of Equestrian Affairs, said accessibility was central to the project’s design.
“We’re the home of Riding for the Disabled, yet in the old school wheelchair users couldn’t get into the stables,” she said. “Now it’s fully barrier-free. Whether you’re a wheelchair user, visually impaired or have reduced mobility, the lift and level design make it accessible for everyone.”
The new building includes automatic doors, tactile guide paths, and hearing induction loops in all classrooms. The arena area has also been redesigned so wheelchair users can reach a raised mounting platform directly from the lift, instead of being pushed up a steep ramp.
Bond said the upgrades make the facility genuinely inclusive. “We wanted to make sure the living environment for the horses is as good as it can be, and at the same time that the user experience was as good as it could be,” she said. “Now it really caters for disabled users and for all riders.”
The redevelopment replaces facilities first built in 1978. The site now includes a 47-meter by 22-meter all-weather covered sand arena with a translucent roof and LED lighting, allowing lessons to continue year-round.
The number of stables has increased from 33 to 38, helping the school expand from six to seven operating days a week and boost lesson capacity by about 15 to 17 per cent.
Across the Jockey Club’s three public riding schools – Pok Fu Lam, Tuen Mun and Lei Yue Mun – more than 60,000 riders and visitors take part in programs each year. Bond said the Pok Fu Lam project would help meet growing demand.
“There are huge waiting lists of people who want to ride,” she said. “This redevelopment means we can offer as many lessons as possible without compromising horse welfare.”
The new complex also includes classrooms, equine simulators for training, and a viewing gallery for families. Group stable visits and short courses in horse care and stable management will begin from November.
The Jockey Club said the redevelopment reflects its long-term commitment to equestrian sport, which has been a strategic focus since Hong Kong hosted the Olympic and Paralympic equestrian events in 2008. Through its riding schools and the HKJC Equestrian Team, the Club supports youth and disabled riders as well as elite athletes competing internationally.
Bond said equestrian sport represents the Club’s heritage and values.
“Equestrian sport is unique — it’s the only sport that involves another animal, and one of the few where men and women compete equally,” she said. “We want to bring the joy of the horse to children and families and nurture the next generation of riders.”
The Jockey Club said lesson fees at the redeveloped Pok Fu Lam school remain in line with its other public riding schools and continue to be subsidized under an agreement with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to keep the sport affordable.
