More than 7,000 applications from would-be volunteers at the 2008 Olympics equestrian events in Hong Kong have been received, a spokesman for the organizers announced on January 16.

The spokesman said that 750 of the applicants were shortlisted with potential for becoming leader-volunteers, pending interviews.

These interviews will be wrapped up by this week, with the notification of the 100 leader-volunteers to be made probably by the first week in February.

The spokesman added that the first residential training session will be held “after the Lunar New Year holidays,” probably in March; 2007 is the year of the boar, by the way.

Experienced trainers of Olympic events from Australia will be in Hong Kong to advise on the program of leader-volunteers, the spokesman said.

Those not selected in the first batch of leader-trainers will be invited to indicate their continued interest in becoming general volunteers and to update their information.

Phase two of the recruitment will target universities, language schools and international schools as well as retired government servants.

The spokesman said applications are still open for persons interested in becoming volunteers for the Olympics Equestrian Events, which will be held for the first time on Chinese soil, in Hong Kong in August 2008.

The equestrian events were moved from Beijing to the island of Hong Kong because of fears about horse health security in Beijing. The trade-off will be Hong Kong’s humid, sub-tropical climate and its potentially adverse effects on warmblood horses.

A test event will be held in August this year.

At total of 1,800 volunteers will be needed for the equestrian events; this opportunity would also be useful for anyone hoping to volunteer for the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games, to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY.

Interested in applying? Learn more about the application process by visiting www.equestrian2008.org.

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