HKJC fills this summer with cheers to commemorate 25th anniversary of establishment of HKSAR
- The 25th Anniversary Hong Kong Reunification Raceday was hosted at Sha Tin Racecourse on July 1
- The Club has made a HK$3.5 billion donation to support the construction of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which will open to the public on July 2 as part of the citywide celebration
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To mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has much to offer this summer. Activities on top of the list scheduled for this July include the July 1 commemorative race, art and cultural exhibitions, and more.
25 years on, horse racing continues
On July 1, the 25th Anniversary Hong Kong Reunification Raceday was hosted at Sha Tin Racecourse. Crowds of horse racing fans were out in full force, cheering on their favourite jockeys or horses. The 25th Anniversary Hong Kong Reunification Cup was run as Race 7. The Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup was run as Race 6. The 25th Anniversary Hong Kong Reunification Cup was won by the Paul O’Sullivan-trained ‘Duke Wai’ ridden by Jerry CL Chau, while the Frankie Lor-trained ‘Peak to Peak’ ridden by Vincent CY Ho claimed the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup.
The Sha Tin Racecourse also held the 'With You. Then. Now. Always.' exhibition and the Dragon Cavallo art showcase to coincide with the racing event. The roving exhibition will take place in Tai Kwun and East Coast Park Precinct. Drago Cavallo is a novelty artwork which Simon Ma created. The art piece has two distinct components: a dragon head and a horse body. There are positive connotations associated with the artwork.
Grand opening of Hong Kong Palace Museum
The Club has supported Hong Kong culture and heritage preservation for 25 years. The Club has made a HK$3.5 billion donation through its trust to support the construction of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which is scheduled to open to the public on July 2. Part of the donation will cover the major exhibitions and education projects over the next nine years.
The establishment of the Hong Kong Palace Museum will enable exquisite national treasures to be displayed in Hong Kong, reflecting the importance of Hong Kong both nationally. The iconic museum will further strengthen Hong Kong's status as a world-class city and an international cultural hub by allowing visitors to learn more about and appreciate Chinese art and culture.
The Club also supports young people and the underprivileged to visit the museum to contribute to the Hong Kong government's 'Celebrations for All' campaign, which commenced on July 2. Other initiatives supporting the campaign include handing out gift packs and visiting underprivileged groups, such as elderly people living alone and disadvantaged families, across 18 districts.
The Club also sponsors a wide range of arts and cultural programmes to promote art development. The 'Summer · Harbour' campaign opened on June 16. Public members can enjoy summer-themed art created by local illustrators and designers and other fun activities at the six designated sites on the harbourfront.
'The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Science in Art' exhibition, part of the 'Art@Harbour' project, commenced on June 22 at the Cultural Plaza at the Central and Western District Promenade. Inspired by Victoria Harbour, local artists and teams have created a series of artworks at Tamar Park and the Central and Western District Promenade designed to stimulate creative thinking.
The 'The Big Eight - Dinosaur Revelation' will be on display at the Hong Kong Science Museum from July 8. It will showcase eight of the most iconic creatures from the 'Golden Age of Dinosaurs' for the first time, including Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Spinosaurus, Allosaurus, Hesperosaurus, Diplodocus, Hatzegopteryx and a baby sauropod.
'Dunhuang: Enchanting Tales for Millennium' shows the arts of Dunhuang grottoes, while the exhibition 'The Road to the Baroque - Masterpieces from the Capodimonte Museum' lets you see some of Italy's finest paintings from the Baroque period.
Audiences will be able to explore the world of Chinese landscape paintings through modern technology at 'Mastering Masterpieces: The Essentials of Chinese Landscape Paintings'. Separately, 'Women and Femininity in Ancient China: Treasures from the Nanjing Museum' will be showcasing feminine characteristics and daily lives in ancient China.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series and some of the programmes are among the initiatives exclusively supported by the Club's approved HK$630 million to the government to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The Club has been with the community for more than 25 years and is committed to fulfilling its mission of making a difference. In the next 25 years, the Club will continue to support the community, engage with underprivileged members, and provide a variety of activities in partnership with the government and other organisations.
