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Equestrians mount mass protest against Taipei City

Sixty members of the Hannover Equestrian Club ride their horses into the concourse of the Taipei City Government building yesterday. The riders denounced the city government for tearing down the club's premises. The city maintains the buildings violated city regulations. PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES

Riders on 60 horses surrounded the Taipei City Government buildings yesterday, petitioning for the amendment of regulations to protect the rights of the equestrian industry.

Led by the Hannover Equestrian Club, the largest equestrian club in Taiwan, equestrian sports advocates brought a total of 60 horses to the Taipei City Government to denounce the city government for ignoring the rights of the industry in tearing down the club.

"We [the club] applied to the Taipei City Government for an operation certificate five years ago. However, there were no related regulations for the equestrian industry to follow in Taipei City, and the city government failed to provide any measures to help," said Hsu An-cheng (許安成), general manager of the club.

According to Hsu, the club initially applied for a "stock farm certificate" from the economic development department of the city government in 2000. The department rejected the application because of the construction materials used, which violated the Taipei City Land Use Development Regulations (台北市土地使用分區管制規定) because they were not wood or bamboo.

"We [the club] applied to the Taipei City Government for an operation certificate five years ago. However, there were no related regulations for the equestrian industry to follow in Taipei City."

Hsu An-cheng, general manager of the Hannover Equestrian Club

The club then applied for a "horse farm certificate." However, department commissioners replied that there was no related regulations specifically for equestrian farms, and told the club to wait for regulations to be amended, according to the general manager.

"City government officials promised us they would find solutions for the club and amend regulations so that the buildings could made legal. After five years, however, they hadn't made any efforts and tore down the club," he said.

The city government had listed the club as the second-largest building constructed without a license in the city, and last month tore down the restaurant and the indoor equestrian course.

So that the horses had a place to stay, however, the city government agreed to keep the stable.

Kang Tao-chun (康道春), deputy director of the Bureau of Reconstruction at the city government, received the petition from the advocates, and said that the bureau had tried to find a solution over the past five years.

"The club's buildings violated land use development regulations. We held many coordination meetings with city councilors and tried to prevent the club from being torn down," Kang said.

Kang acknowledged that there are no municipal laws to specifically regulate equestrian farms. But the bureau is currently amending the regulations and will send them to the city council for review and passage.

Located in Shipai District, the Hannover Club, established in 1998, is famous for holding both local and international equestrian events, including the East Asian International Equestrian Championships last year.
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