Chan Promotes Olympic Equestrian Event

Jackie Chan saddled up for a video to promote the Beijing Olympics' equestrian event.

In the 30-second video, the 53-year-old ''Rush Hour'' star urges audiences to visit his hometown of Hong Kong to watch the event and introduces various local tourist sites, Mayee Tang, a spokeswoman for the Hong Kong Tourism Board, which is producing the video, said Wednesday.

Chan recorded the dialogue in both English and Mandarin Chinese, and the video was to be aired in mainland China and foreign markets, Tang said.

Photos posted on Chan's official Web site show the action star sitting on a horse, resplendent in riding gear, including a black helmet, black suit jacket, white tie and black boots.

Chan's video, shot Monday, highlights efforts to promote one of the Olympics' more low-profile events.

A rash of equine diseases and substandard quarantine procedures in China forced Beijing to hand the equestrian events to Hong Kong, which has a well-established racing circuit but few facilities for dressage and show-jumping events.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club, which controls horse racing in the former British colony, has spent about $100 million on upgrading existing venues and building new ones for the Olympic equestrian competition, which will take place Aug. 9 to Aug. 20.

In other promotional efforts for the Beijing Olympics, Chan also recorded the event's official one-year countdown song, ''We Are Ready.''

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