Hong Kong’s Penfold Park finds second life as a horse-themed playground for young riders
Sha Tin’s former Olympic equestrian venue hopes to introduce love at first ride to a new generation in the transformed Penfold Park, where kids as young as three can try their hand in the saddle
In 2008, the Sha Tin Racecourse hosted some of the world’s finest equestrian athletes when it served as a venue for the Beijing Olympic Games. From June 22, a new facility on its grounds, in the open-to-the-public Penfold Park, will welcome a very different kind of rider: kids as young as three years old, helmeted, possibly nervous and guided by experienced coaches.
Pony World is a new 7,700 square metre community space built and managed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) that combines equestrian education and entertainment for families, school groups and young children. Its opening is part of the HKJC’s Year of the Horse campaign, a year-long celebration of the bond between horses and humans.
A visit to Pony World moves through several stations: the stables, where children learn what ponies eat, how they are groomed and what their daily routines look like; a photo area with mini ponies small enough for toddlers to approach; and an interactive classroom where kids can learn how horses communicate through ear movement, posture and sound. At the new facility, children aged three to 14 can also go on supervised pony rides.
Happy horses, happy encounters