bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Nazvi Careem

THEY say you need lots of luck with the horses.

 That will certainly be the case for Hong Kong's Asian Games equestrian star Holly Griffiths, who has yet to see the horse she will be riding at next month's event in Hiroshima.

 Because of quarantine laws in Japan, it is not practical for countries to send their own horses.

 Instead, the Japanese organisers will be providing riders with horses for the showjumping competition.

 'It's very much luck of the draw,' said Griffiths, 21, Hong Kong's sole qualifier for the Games after last year's qualification tournament in Tokyo.

 'That's the problem, you really have no choice and if the horse is not very good, there is nothing you can do about it.

 'In some ways, it is an advantage, because otherwise the Japanese riders will have their own horses.

 'I'll be there about six days before the event starts, so I will have some time to get used to the horse.'  Griffiths will be accompanied by coach Wendy Watkins and technician Sue Earle.

 But it was not until several months ago they realised they would be flying Hong Kong's colours in Hiroshima.

 'The Hong Kong team took part in qualifiers last year in Tokyo but did not qualify,' said Hong Kong-born Griffiths.

 'It was only a few months ago I was told that I was the only one who reached the qualifying standards.

 'It will be my first Asian Games and it is definitely the highlight of the year for me.'  The fact that horses are to be provided by the organisers also helped the Hong Kong Horse Society gain acceptance in the territory's squad.

 Equestrianism was not included in the original list of the Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (ASF & OC).

 But after being informed that Griffiths had reached qualifying standards, and that Hong Kong would not be burdened by the cumbersome process of sending a horse to Japan, the ASF & OC added the sport to the list.

 Equestrianism, with Griffiths as the sole competitor, is the smallest squad of the 17 sports representing Hong Kong at the Games from October 2-16.

 Griffiths started riding at the age of nine when she attended the riding school at Pokfulam.

 Later on, she moved to the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, which provided the facilities for showjumping and dressage which were not available at the previous venue.

 She has taken part in several international competitions while riding for the Pony Club in the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand.

 Earlier this year, she took part in a showjumping competition in Morocco, where she finished fifth.

 But she expects the competition to be tough in Hiroshima.

 'The horses will be a factor,' she said. 'Although I don't know who I will be up against, I expect the riders who were at the qualifying tournament will also be at the Games. So I know it will not be easy.'  Griffiths leaves for Tokyo today to take part in a series of warm-up tournaments, involving several horses, leading up to the Games.

 The showjumping competition, a straight-forward obstacle course, will feature about 10 to 12 riders.

 There will be about 60 riders altogether taking part in the individual and team events.



Holly hopes for luck of the draw in Japan