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Recreation, Sport and the Arts
top thoroughbreds from seven countries. Despite competing with the world's best, Hong Kong-trained horses captured two of the four titles, with California Memory - ridden by graduate of the Club's Apprentice Jockeys' School Matthew Chadwick and trained by another local hero, Tony Cruz - making history by becoming the first horse to achieve back-to-back wins in the prestigious Hong Kong Cup.
In the World Thoroughbred Rankings for 2012, Hong Kong had 16 horses listed among the world's best. This ranks it seventh globally, an outstanding record for a racing jurisdiction with only 1,300 horses in training and no breeding industry.
Recreation and Sports Programmes
In 2012, the LCSD organised some 37,900 recreation and sports programmes for about 2.1 million participants of all ages and abilities at a total cost of $134.36 million.
District Sports Teams Training Scheme
A total of 12,032 young people took part in 290 district team events for basketball, football, handball and fencing in 2012.
'Healthy Exercise for All' Campaign and 'Sport For All Day'
In 2012, about 80,000 people took part in some 1,500 programmes under the 'Healthy Exercise for All' campaign. Over 210,000 people participated in the LCSD's annual 'Sport For All Day' in August, which adopted the Olympics as its theme and the slogan 'Stay Active. Exercise for Half an Hour Daily! A series of free recreation and sports programmes was organised at designated sports centres in 18 districts and most of the fee-charging sports facilities were open to the public free of charge.
Young Athletes Training Scheme
In 2012, 31,595 young people joined the 'Young Athletes Training Scheme, under which 22 National Sports Associations (NSAs) (commissioned by the LCSD) provide intermediate level training in 28 sports disciplines to teenagers wishing to become athletes.
Territory-wide Events
The Corporate Games 2012, a major multi-sport event designed specially for working people, attracted some 9,300 people from 267 industrial and commercial organisations in 13 sports competitions. The Masters Games 2012/13, targeted for people aged 35 and above, attracted some 4,300 participants in six competitions.
School Sports Programme
The School Sports Programme provides a wide range of sports programmes for students. The scheme comprises seven subsidiary programmes: Sport Education Programme, Easy Sport Programme, Outreach Coaching Programme, Sport Captain Programme, Joint Schools Sports Training Programme, Badges Award Scheme and Sports Award Scheme. In 2012, over 609,000 students took part in about 7,900 sporting events.
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