Dear Colleagues,

The 2008 Olympic Equestrian Events are almost upon us. It is an exciting time for all involved in this historic occasion. In the final days, hours and minutes before the equestrian competition gets under way, we will be making every effort to ensure the finishing touches are applied and that everything is in place for a wonderful Olympic experience that the entire city can enjoy and be proud of.

Over the past three years, we have overcome numerous hurdles for a common cause - to stage a successful Olympic equestrian competition and play our part in making the Beijing Games a big success. Our hard work has won recognition from the International Olympic Committee, the Federation Equestre Internationale and the Beijing Organising Committee.

In the coming weeks, each of us will require the qualities of an athlete. We must remain focused, determined, patient and have the endurance to stay the course. This will help to turn years of preparation into a truly memorable Olympic performance.

No doubt, there will be difficult challenges to overcome in the weeks ahead, inside and outside the competition venues. Good preparation will help to smooth the way, but some unforeseen issues are also bound to arise. With the typical Hong Kong "can-do" spirit, I'm confident we will be able to clear any hurdle and rise to the occasion to leave our mark on the history of Olympic Equestrian Events.

Dear Colleagues, in lieu of meeting each of you I propose we make a pledge together - a pledge to ensure that when people speak of the Equestrian Events in Hong Kong in years to come, they give us a resounding thumbs-up and we can all proudly say: "I was part of it!"

And remember, a smile and a pat on the back can do wonders for your colleagues when the heat is on.

We can do it!