VENUES: There are two – Sha Tin, next to the Hong Kong Jockey Club race-track and close to the city centre, and Beas River which is some 35 minutes away. Sha Tin encompasses special training facilities in Penfold Park. Beas River encompasses the lands of the Hong Kong Golf Club and Beas River Country Club and this is where the cross-country phase of the Eventing discipline will take place.

FREIGHT INSURANCE: NOCs are advised that they should procure/maintain appropriate insurance in relation to the carriage of their horses as the Equestrian Company will NOT provide insurance of any kind.

FEED, HAY, BEDDING: Will be provided by Kentucky Equine Research or can be privately organised.

ACCREDITATION CENTRES: There will be four in total - one each at Hong Kong International Airport, the Olympic Village Hotel, the Olympic Family Hotel and at the Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue at Sha Tin.

TEAM ACCREDITATION FORMULA: Maximum 20 athletes, one groom for each rider and two horse-owners per horse.

TEAM OFFICIALS ACCREDITATION: Allocated on ratio of 1 athlete to 0.55 officials to include Chef d'Equipe, Coach, Veterinarian, Doctor and Farrier. ADDITIONAL team official accreditation will be considered and decided by the IOC but will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

ACCOMMODATION:
Four venues - the Hong Kong Olympic Village, Hong Kong Olympic Family Hotel, Hong Kong Media Hotel and Hong Kong Grooms Village.

Hong Kong Olympic Village will be located at a 4-Star 16-storey hotel located 2.5km from the main competition venue at Sha Tin and abut 15km from the cross-country venue at Beas River. ITOs and FEI Officials will be accommodated in the Village alongside the athletes.

Hong Kong Olympic Family Hotel is the Kowloon Shangri-la 5-Star in Tsimshatsui Ease and is allocated to IOC members, NOC/International Federation Presidents and Secretary-Generals and FEI Officials.

Hong Kong Media Hotel is the Regal Riverside in Sha Tin, located 2.5km from the main competition venue and about 15km from Beas River. It will accommodate additional team officials, NTOs, media and broadcasters and approximately 60 grooms. Hong Kong Grooms Village is located inside the equestrian venue at Sha Tin and will accommodate about 140 grooms, mainly on a twin-sharing basis.

QUARANTINE AND BIO-SECURITY MEASURES: Will include 60-day pre-export residency in an approved country, compulsory veterinary supervision for 30 days prior to export, 7-day pre-export quarantine, 10-day post-arrival isolation and no permitted contact between Olympic and local horses.

HORSE TRANSPORTATION LOGISTICS: Approximately 300 horses from more than 40 nations accompanied by 140 attendants and 96,000 kgs of equipment will travel to Hong Kong on an estimated 56 flights. About 90% of horses will originate in Europe with the balance travelling primarily from Australasia and North America. The airports of Amsterdam, London Stansted, New York, Los Angeles and Sydney are designated by BOCOG as hub airports. Flight times will vary between 12 and 15 hours with some aircraft making technical stops in Dubai.

FREIGHT MANUAL: Available on websites of BOCOG, the Equestrian Company and Peden Bloodstock

VETERINARY FACILITIES: There will be a core team of 11 Event Treating Veterinarians led by Professor Jack Snyder along with others from Mainland China and the HKJC Department of Veterinary Clinical Services for the cross-country competiiton. A group of eight senior students/graduates will provide support in the Olympic Veterinary Clinic (OVC) with back-up from technical HKJC staff. The OVC is a purpose-built veterinary facility located at the core venue in Sha Tin and incorporates a pharmacy. Surgical facilities and staff at the nearby HKJC Equine Hospital will be on 24-hour stand-by. A temporary veterinary clinic will be located at Beas River for the cross-country event. There will be six veterinary teams located on the cross-country course along with three roving teams and mobile cooling units will be located strategically, with ice and water at holding points on the course. Eight horse ambulances and four recovery trailers will be available on cross-country day. CHARGES will be levied for routine clinical services, use of some equipment, surgery, drugs, supplements and other consumables and for clinical pathology. For a nominal charge, clinic facilities within the OVC may be utilised by team veterinarians who have registered at the Equine Clinic Office on an appointment basis. VISA CARD payments can be made at the main office in the Equine Clinic and Chefs d'Equipe will be required to CLEAR THEIR TEAM'S ACCOUNTS EVERY 7 DAYS. All accounts must be settled in full before leaving the venue.

FARRIERS: A group of six farriers led by Mr Ian Hughes will support the team farriers throughout the Games.

AIR-CONDITIONED STABLES: These are considered to be one of the most important elements in ensuring the health and welfare of horses during the Games. The temperature will be set at around 22-23 C. They proved hugely influential in the quick recovery of horses during last summer's test event.

COOLING: The quick reduction of body temperature of horses after exercise and competition is of vital importance in conditions of heat and humidity, and cooling regimes will include assisted cooling by cold water and the use of misting fans.

HOW HORSES COPED AT THE GOOD LUCK BEIJING HKSAR 10th ANNIVERSARY EVENT: A total of 17 horses were included in a study of their physiological responses and, of these, two were withdrawn before the cross-country phase with the remaining 15 successfully meeting the challenge of competition.

THE WEATHER: It's going to be hot and very humid, so competition will be take place in the early morning and at night. Temperatures may rise to 35 C with humidity of 80-90% and there is the additional threat of typhoons. Shadows cast by the early-morning sun may complicate the start-time on cross-country day but that has been factored into the competition programme. A rapid decision-making process has been established in case of bad weather conditions.

Video Compilation of Pre-Olympic Workshop on Heat and Humidity Now Available