Riders hold own opening ceremony in Hong Kong

HONG KONG (AP) It was a long way to ride - or even fly - to join in the opening ceremony Friday night in Beijing, so the athletes at the Olympic equestrian venue here took part in their own.

The only thing missing from the party was horses.

The festivities included a parade of the 42 nations that sent riders to Hong Kong, plus all the pageantry needed for any opening ceremony. A torch-lighting ceremony was timed to the same moment in Beijing.

Flag bearer for the American contingent was 34-year-old event rider Gina Miles, of Creston, Calif., who was chosen by lot. Canada honored as flag bearer their own equestrian hero, 61-year-old show jumper Ian Miller, who is competing in his ninth Olympic Games.

The equestrian events were moved here because of quarantine restrictions on mainland China. Hong Kong has an active equestrian community and has gone all out to make athletes and spectators feel they are part of the total Olympic experience.

Athletes were given the option of a three-hour flight to Beijing, 1,200 miles north, to take part in the opening ceremony. Most decided to stay in Hong Kong to avoid missing two days of training.

The sport of eventing starts Saturday, followed later in the week by dressage and show jumping. Team and individual medals in each of the three will be awarded, with men and women competing against each other.

Among the 201 riders are six from China and four from Hong Kong, which have entered the Olympic equestrian events for the first time.