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The Hong Kong Jockey Club today (10 Jan) celebrated its 130th Anniversary with the public at a special raceday at Sha Tin Racecourse, filled with exciting racing action and entertainment.  Club Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip took the opportunity to announce that building on the Club’s long tradition of giving back to the community through charitable donations, the HKJC Charities Trust would spearhead a brand new Career and Life Planning Programme with funding of HK$500 million.  The programme is expected to benefit 200,000 young people and assist them in identifying their interests, realising their potential, finding faith in themselves and developing clear individual roadmaps.

Noting the Club’s 130th Anniversary motto of “Riding High Together for a Better Future”, Dr Ip said that the Club was delighted to celebrate the auspicious occasion with Hong Kong people.  The Club’s unique, not-for-profit business model which made such donations possible was much admired throughout the world, he observed. 

HKSAR Chief Executive C Y Leung said that over the past 130 years, the Club had grown alongside Hong Kong, becoming a world-class organisation, and notably for Hong Kong and the Government, its largest benefactor.  Describing the Club's 2013/14 tax and duty payments of HK$19.58 billion as "a lot of horsepower", he said the Club was "also a staunch supporter of the Government's commitment to building a caring, socially inclusive society", adding that its contributions had made cross-sector partnerships possible.  "Under the Club's capable leadership, I am confident that it will continue to play a critical role in our community," Mr Leung commented.

In the last fiscal year alone, the Club returned some HK$24.4 billion to the community, including a record HK$3.6 billion in charitable donations.  Dr Ip told the guests he felt reasonably confident that its donations could be kept around a similar level in future, assuming that current revenues could be maintained in the coming years.  However, he cautioned that Hong Kong continued to face serious threats and challenges from illegal bookmakers, both onshore and offshore, and from online operators who offered an almost limitless array of gaming products.  While the introduction of legalised and regulated soccer betting had to some extent helped arrest the flow of gaming dollars into the hands of illegal operators, the Club should not relax its efforts and must continue to innovate with attractive products and services so as to protect its own market.

Dr Ip also revealed that the Board of Trustees had recently reviewed the Club’s charities strategy.  “As society changes, the Club will refocus its attention on changing community needs and respond accordingly.  In addition to continuing to support all existing areas, we have found three strategic areas that deserve our particular attention,” he said. 

“Firstly, with the elderly population estimated to grow to 20% in 2022, we want to improve care for the elderly and create an age-friendly society; secondly, we would like to enhance youth development, in particular building team spirit and nurturing leadership skills in our youth; and lastly in sport - sport as an end in itself for all the good it does, and also as a means to help the elderly stay agile and healthy and to build character, discipline and determination in our younger generation.  Sport is a common link to the first two strategic areas.”

In the area of enhancing youth development, the Club’s Charities Trust is taking the lead in pioneering a five-year Career and Life Planning Programme targeting young people between 15 and 21.  The Club will actively steer the project, working in partnership with The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University, academia, NGOs, Government and business sector. It will help both mainstream students and those with special educational needs, as well as non-engaged young people, develop clear individual roadmaps and prepare for their transition to work or further study.

The Club hopes that Hong Kong’s youth, regardless of their educational background and family circumstances, will find faith in themselves, hope for the future and pride in their community, Dr Ip explained.  “A meaningful life is about realising potential, overcoming adversity and giving back for the common good.  This pilot programme represents the first of several along this vein that we aim to initiate in our 130th Anniversary year and beyond.”

Tens of thousands of racing fans were at Sha Tin Racecourse to celebrate the special occasion, along with more than 200 representatives of Government agencies, NGOs and other groups.

The day’s feature race, the HKJC 130th Anniversary Cup, was won by Key Witness, ridden by Douglas Whyte and trained by Tony Cruz.  HKSAR Chief Executive C Y Leung, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government Yang Jian and Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR Tong Xiaoling presented trophies to the winning connections.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class horse racing operator and Hong Kong’s largest community benefactor, as well as one of Asia’s most prestigious membership clubs.  Operating as a not-for-profit organisation, the Club allocates its surplus for charitable and community projects.  In 2013/14, its donations reached a record $3.6 billion, and in the last decade alone it supported over 1,275 projects.  The Club is also Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer, contributing a record HK$19.58 billion in 2013/14.  With about 70% of its revenue given back to society every year through donations and tax contributions, The Hong Kong Jockey Club delivers a significantly higher return to the community than any other racing and/or sports betting organisation in the world.  As a socially responsible organisation, the Club helps Government combat illegal betting and advocates responsible gambling.  The Club is also one of Hong Kong’s largest employers with over 24,800 full-time and part-time staff.  Committed to global excellence and giving back to society, the Club is always “riding high together for a better future” with the people of Hong Kong.   Please visit 130.hkjc.com.