The FEI wishes to announce “On to Hong Kong”, a Workshop to assist National Federations to prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong. The event, to be organised by the FEI’s Welfare Sub-committee, will take place in Lausanne, Switzerland, from 16 – 18 February 2008.

The objective of the workshop will be to promote the health and welfare of the horses by making the information collected at the August 2007 Test Event available to all Federation officials, veterinarians, riders, Chefs d’Equipe and others. The workshop will be open to all for a registration fee.

The Programme will include the following presentations:

• Setting the scene – John McEwen BVMS, MRCVS, Chairman of the FEI Veterinary Committee (johnmcewen@theglyn.fsnet.co.uk)
• Overview of facilities and local arrangements – Dr Chris Riggs BVSc, PhD, DEO, DipECVS, MRCVS, Head of Veterinary Clinical Services, Hong Kong Jockey Club (christopher.m.riggs@hkjc.org.hk)
• Understanding the weather situation in Hong Kong for the Olympic Games – the results of a two year study with the Hong Kong Observatory– Professor Leo Jeffcott MA, BVetMed, PhD, FRCVS, DVSc, VetMedDr, University of Sydney, Australia, Veterinary Delegate for the 2008 Olympic Games (leoj@vetsci.usyd.edu.au).
• Air conditioned facilities and cooling stations – Dr David Marlin BSc (Hons.) PhD, David Marlin Consulting Ltd, Newmarket, UK (dm@davidmarlin.co.uk)
• Results of horse monitoring – Dr Catherine W. Kohn VMD, Diplomate ACVIM, Professor, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences The Ohio State University, USA (kohn.1@osu.edu)
• Horse transportation logistics – Martin H. Atock, Managing Director, Peden Bloodstock, Leyenburg, Rheurdt, Germany (atock@peden.de)

There will be a Question and Answer Panel Discussion following the presentations.

The Chairman of the Welfare Sub-committee, Dr Andrew Higgins, commented: ‘It is vital that the FEI is fully proactive in providing the necessary information to ensure that competitors and National Federations are well informed to enable them to prepare their horses optimally for the challenging climatic conditions that they will face in Hong Kong. The Workshop will enable the leading scientists and veterinarians in the field to share all available information with stakeholders. This is an important and timely meeting.’

For further information and to receive a Registration Form please contact: Ms. Nina Wittek at n.wittek@horsesport.org . To assist with planning the event these forms should be returned prior to 1 December 2007.

The Workshop is also open to the press. All interested persons please contact FEI Communications Manager Malina Gueorguiev.