President S R Nathan opens Singapore's National Equestrian Park
Thursday, 31 March 2011 15:27
The Equestrian Federation of Singapore (EFS) announced the opening of its new home, the National Equestrian Park, on 31 March 2011 by President S R Nathan. The President visited the National Equestrian Park, inspecting its facilities, viewing its activities, meeting the riders, volunteers, and equine specialists. He also launched the Park's new programmes - Team Singapore Equestrian, EQUAL (Equine-Assisted Learning) and the Equestrian Satellite Centre (consisting of the Pony Programme, and the Pony Road Show).
The opening of the National Equestrian Park heralds the realisation of a 25 hectare "Equestrian Zone", combining the Singapore Polo Club, Riding for the Disabled, and the National Equestrian Park.
The Zone will house over 250 horses and ponies, along with all the support facilities necessary, providing equestrian activities for the public. Activities will cater to all levels of the sport, from physiotherapy for the disabled, to family and weekend riders, pre-schoolers to teenagers, as well as older riders. Singaporeans aiming for the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, the Olympics and the Paralympics can also try out for Team Singapore Equestrian. Scholarships will also be available for promising youngsters who want to ride, or learn vocational skills at the on-site Academy, which will train youngsters for the various equestrian professions.
There will be tremendous diversity in the Park - the scholarship students and working Academy interns, will work alongside and learn from veterans of Singapore's Equestrian community. "We aim to create an eco-system of the sport," explained the EFS President, Dr Melanie Chew. "Some come to ride, many to watch or to enjoy a day with the ponies. Others come to work and learn. But we all are united by a single passion -- horses."
The EFS has developed the Park in association with the Singapore Polo Club, which has financed and managed the entire development. Mr Iqbal Jumabhoy, President, Singapore Polo Club, said "we are very proud to have participated in making the Park a reality. I am confident that this boost to equestrian and polo will serve the nation well in future competitions."
The Equestrian Federation is proud to have struck strategic partnerships with the Trailblazer Foundation, T Touch, Temasek Cares, Network for Electronic Transfers (Singapore) (NETS), Lee Foundation, and the Singapore Sports Council (SSC), to support its comprehensive programme of community development and social outreach.
The Trailblazer Foundation, T Touch and Temasek Cares will be sponsoring EQUAL (Equine Assisted Learning), which brings 160 students from Northlight and Assumption Pathway schools for equestrian-centred exercises and lessons to develop EQ and life skills.
The SSC is sponsoring the Equestrian Satellite Centre, which is made up of the Pony Programme and the Pony Road Show. The Equestrian Satellite Centre will add to the existing six satellite centres under the Satellite Centres for Sports Development (SCSD) programme, introduced in June 2010 as part of Singapore's legacy of hosting the inaugural Youth Olympic Games.
"We want to make sports available to all youths in Singapore. The SCSDs provide such opportunities and resources for our youths to learn and play sports. This is in line with the SSC's Let's Play movement, which seeks to encourage everyone in Singapore to embrace sports as a lifestyle choice. The SCSDs will build on the legacy of the YOG by championing sporting values such as confidence, sportsmanship, respect and other lessons gained from an active sporting lifestyle," said Mr Bob Gambardella, Chief of Sports Development Group, Singapore Sports Council.
The Lee Foundation and NETS are co-sponsors of the Pony Road Show, which brings ponies to visit children all over Singapore. The Pony Road Show will visit community centres, schools, and shopping centres to introduce ponies to children. Pre-School and primary-age children can also visit the ponies at their home at the Equestrian Park, and enjoy pony-themed activities and pony-rides.
The Pony Programme allows youths aged six to 16 to follow a comprehensive Equestrian Riding "Flow Through" system designed to take youngsters from the Pony Road Show, and progress them through stages and into the Academy for advanced, national and professional training.
For more information and registration for the Equestrian Satellite Centre - Pony Programme, please visit SingaporeSports.sg/SCSD
Singapore's National Equestrian Park (NEP) sits on six hectares of State Land off Thomson Road. Originally an abandoned cemetery, it is now being developed into a world-class Equestrian Park and headquarters of the Equestrian Federation of Singapore (EFS). Phase I, comprising 40 stables, arenas and facilities, will be officially opened by Singapore President S R Nathan on Thursday 31 March 2011.
Also launching are the programmes of the NEP: Team Singapore Equestrian, EQUAL (Equine-Assisted Learning), the Equestrian Satellite Centre (consisting of the Pony Programme, and the Pony Road Show)
Adjacent to the Riding for the Disabled (RDA) and Singapore Polo Club, the National Equestrian Park, combined with the RDA and Polo Club, creates an Equestrian Zone that covers a total of 25 hectares. This integrates physiotherapy, disability sports, Olympic events and Polo in a single shared facility in the Thomson area. In total, the Equestrian Zone will house 250 horses, plus support facilities such as a hospital, clinics, a rehabilitation facility, quarantine, and rest-paddocks, as well as tracks, trails, and arenas. It will also have International and Olympic-standard competition facilities, and host two international competitions a year. The facility will also serve as the training and competition base for Team Singapore Equestrian. An on-site Academy will offer training in equestrian vocations. It will host public outreach programmes, bringing children and students into equestrian activities, learning to ride and care for ponies and horses.
In creating a unified equestrian zone, the EFS has found an innovative way of combining existing facilities, achieving synergy, and gaining maximum utilisation of scarce land. The maximum space has been set aside as a natural park-land for horses, children, athletes, and for natural outdoor sports and activities.
The EFS, recognising the unique qualities of horses, and convinced of their positive effect on children, wants to enable more Singapore children to have the opportunity to befriend, bond with, ride, and care for horses and ponies.
For the Equestrian Federation of Singapore, it marks the end of a five-year search for a "home" for horses and riders. In this search, the EFS wants to acknowledge the strong support given by the Singapore Sports Council, Singapore National Olympic Council, and the Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports.
The National Equestrian Park will allow Singaporeans of all ages to enjoy horses and try horse-sports at a very reasonable price. It will make horse-sports accessible and affordable. It will promote and encourage Singaporeans to adopt an outdoor, natural sport, and to form friendships and bonds with horses and ponies.
It will also give a training and competition base for Team Singapore Equestrian. The NEP will be home to four Singapore national teams: Dressage, Para-Equestrian, Jumping, and Polo. Team Singapore Equestrian marks its start with the opening of its new home. The young Team takes pride in its double bronze-medallist Para-Olympian, Laurentia Tan, who won two bronze medals at the Beijing 2008 Para-Olympics. Singapore's aspiring jumper, Catherine Chew, made the Individual finals in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, finishing in a creditable 15th place. In 2010 in Taiwan, the Para-Equestrian team won double gold medals. In the 2010 Youth Olympic Games Equestrian Event, Singapore came in 17th out of 30 starters. In the SEA Games, 2007, Singapore's Polo Team took the Silver Medal.
The National Equestrian Park will also be home to outreach programmes: EQUAL (Equine-Assisted Learning), the Equestrian Satellite Centre - Pony Programme and Pony Road Show.
EQUAL stands for Equine-Assisted Learning. The EQUAL programme delivers horse-based exercises, opportunities and challenges to 160 students from Northlight and Assumption Pathway Schools. These schools cater to students who have not done well in the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) as well as students who prematurely leave secondary school. Through a specially designed curriculum, children are nurtured in Emotional Quotient (EQ) and life skills such as communication, interaction, listening and learning. EQUAL uses horses to communicate and interact with children in an innovative, unique, and powerful way. Through horses, the children confront their problems, and find solutions. This innovative programme is a three-year pilot project, and will be monitored and assessed by psychologists and educators in Singapore and overseas. During the initial lessons, the response to EQUAL has been warm and enthusiastic, and EQUAL has already shown results in raising the levels of student interest and school motivation. The teachers from Northlight and Assumption Pathway have also attended training sessions, and they will be guiding the students in their reflection and learning after each session. EQUAL is a programme sponsored by the Trailblazer Foundation, T Touch, and Temasek Cares.
The Equestrian Satellite Centre - Pony Programme, sponsored by the Singapore Sports Council, allows youths aged six to 16 to follow a comprehensive Equestrian Riding "Flow Through" system designed to take the from the Pony Road Show and progress them through promotional stages, into Team Singapore Equestrian, and into the Academy for advanced, national and professional training.
The Pony Road Show, sponsored by Lee Foundation, Singapore Sports Council, and NETS - the National Electronic Transfer payment system -- brings ponies on specially designed trailer to visit children all over Singapore. This is a unique outreach programme. In a variety of settings - community centres, schools, and even shopping centres -- the Pony Road Show will introduce Singapore children to ponies. Children are welcome to visit the ponies at their home, the Pony Park where they can enjoy equestrian activities in natural, outdoor surroundings.
All these programmes: Team Equestrian Singapore, EQUAL, Equestrian Satellite Centre - Pony Programme and the Pony Road Show will be launched on Thursday 31 March by President SR Nathan, at the National Equestrian Park.
The National Equestrian Park is also home to 25 of the YOG horses. These horses were imported into Singapore for the Youth Olympic Games in August 2010. They have been in rest and rehabilitation, and are slowly returning to work in the Team Equestrian Singapore, and for EQUAL.
The Pony Road Show and EQUAL will use 12 ponies specially chosen for children.
There are already 40 horses and ponies at the National Equestrian Park, Phase I. On completion, the NEP will house up to 160 horses and ponies, together with full support, veterinary, farrier, quarantine, and other support facilities.
All development costs of the National Equestrian Park have been fully sponsored by the Singapore Polo Club, as their contribution to the horse-sports, equestrian community, and social outreach in Singapore. The Equestrian Federation of Singapore, and the entire horse community in Singapore are extremely grateful to the Singapore Polo Club, led by President Mr Iqbal Jumabhoy. The EFS would especially like to thank Dr Ali Namazie, the Honorary Secretary, for his hard work and personal supervision of the planning, building and development.
The Equestrian Federation is a National Sports Association under the Singapore Sports Council and Singapore National Olympic Council. It is led by
The following office bearers:
President: Dr Melanie Chew
Vice President: Mr Roderick Tan
Vice President: Mr Iqbal Jumabhoy
Honorary Secretary: Ms Monique Heah
Honorary Treasurer: Mr Wee Tiong Han
Assistant Honorary Treasurer: Ms Lillian Lim
SATELLITE CENTRES FOR SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
Satellite Centres for Sports Development (SCSD) Programme
Satellite Centres for Sports Development (SCSD) is a joint project between the Ministry of Education and the Singapore Sports Council to develop youth sports in Singapore. They are viewed as an important long-term legacy of the Youth Olympic Games. These centres will provide opportunities for children and youths (aged 6 - 16) to learn to play a new sport and participate in sports in which they might otherwise not get the chance to e.g. if they do not make the school team or if the sport is unavailable at their school.
The SCSD project is based on the key principle of 'No child gets left behind. Giving every child an opportunity to participate in and benefit from playing sports in a safe environment' The project ethos is based around high participation and learning through play.
Who are SCSDs for?
Targeted specially for children and youths aged six to 16, the SCSDs will serve as the launching pad for children and youths to learn new sports in a safe, fun and friendly community setting. These satellite centres aim to provide youths with multiple opportunities for participation in a diverse range of sports and at the same time, allowing them to play regularly with their peers in a structured sports programme.
Who Runs the SCSDs?
The SCSD programmes are coordinated and managed by the respective National Sports Associations (NSA) of the sports. The programmes will be delivered by qualified coaches, identified by the NSAs.
Launch Date: 29 May 2010
SCSDs in Operation
There are seven SCSDs currently in operation. They are Archery, Badminton, Basketball, Equestrian, Hockey, Sailing and Wrestling.
SCSDs starting in 2011
Eight new SCSDs will open in the next 12 months. They are Athletics, Canoe-Kayak, Cycling, Diving, Fencing, Football, Modern Pentathlon and Netball.
