The Hong Kong Jockey Club's Restart programme is giving retired thoroughbreds new roles in equestrianism, including dressage. Eight former racehorses performed at the Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show, showcasing their transition from tracks to musical routines. Officials highlight the horses' suitability for second careers due to their intelligence and athleticism.
The three-day Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show featured a unique performance by eight retired racehorses, who have traded the intensity of racing for synchronized movements to music. These thoroughbreds are graduates of the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Restart programme, designed to retrain elite animals after their racing days end.
Among the performers were multiple race winners like Prawn BaBa and Bo Duke. The programme aims to leverage the horses' innate qualities for disciplines such as dressage. Natasha Rose, the club's executive manager of equestrian affairs projects, emphasized the benefits of this transition.
“It’s actually very good for them to keep learning new things because they can give so much back into their second career to keep active, to keep fit and to keep healthy,” Rose said.
She added that the timing is ideal, as equestrian training often begins later than racing.
“In equestrian, we actually start training horses a little bit later than in racing. So when they’ve retired from racing, they are the perfect age to go into equestrian,” Rose said.
One standout is New Elegance, nicknamed “Tom” in the stables, who has become an experienced exhibition horse through the Restart initiative. The programme supports these animals in finding purposeful roles, ensuring their post-racing lives remain active and fulfilling. Keywords associated with the effort include the Racing Talent Training Centre in Conghua and figures like Tracy Lung, underscoring the club's commitment to equine welfare in Hong Kong.