On the 25th of March 2026, Edrington, a global leader in the luxury and ultra-premium spirits market, brought its team together at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong for a special event celebrating the Year of the Horse.
The organisation wanted to create an experience that would strengthen teamwork and communication while providing an opportunity for colleagues to connect, collaborate and have fun together. At the same time, the activity needed to reflect the festive spirit and symbolism of the Year of the Horse in a memorable and engaging way.
With this in mind, Edrington partnered with Team Building Asia, Catalyst Global’s partner in Hong Kong and China, to deliver Horses for Causes — a fast-paced team challenge combining creativity, strategy and friendly competition.
The challenge was to create an experience that would:
Program Objectives
Activity: Horses for Causes (Catalyst Global experience delivered by Team Building Asia)
Participants: Edrington employees
Format: Creative build challenge and horse-racing team competition
Duration: 90 minutes
The experience began with teams receiving a unique flat-pack 3D cardboard horse kit along with IKEA-style assembly instructions. Working against the clock, participants raced to pop out the components and construct their horse before the deadline.
Once assembled, teams moved into the creative phase of the challenge, decorating their horses with branding and unique visual identities. Each team then presented their horse to the wider group, generating plenty of laughter and reinforcing team creativity and communication.
From there, the experience shifted into competition mode. The floor was transformed into a racecourse, with lanes established and game currency distributed to participants. Teams strategically placed bets based on race odds drawn through a lucky dip system, adding an extra layer of excitement and decision-making.
The newly built horses lined up at the starting line, connected by long cords to riders positioned at the finish line. Participants furiously wound handles to propel their horses forward in a series of thrilling races.
To maximise engagement, racing silks were swapped after each race, rotating team members into the rider role and ensuring everyone had the opportunity to participate.
As the competition concluded, race takings were calculated, winners were announced, and a closing ceremony officially retired the horses. The session concluded with a facilitated debrief that connected the experience back to the themes of teamwork, communication, collaboration, and celebration.
Horses for Causes successfully combined creativity, teamwork and competition to create a highly engaging and memorable experience for participants.
Throughout the challenge, teams relied on active collaboration and communication to successfully assemble, decorate, and race their horses. Every stage required participants to contribute, coordinate and support one another in pursuit of a common goal.
Key outcomes included:
The combination of creativity, strategy, and friendly competition generated a strong sense of pride and accomplishment, while creating memorable moments that participants shared.
Most importantly, the activity demonstrated how collaboration and communication become even more powerful when combined with fun, shared purpose and a spirit of celebration.
"Horses for Causes is a truly memorable team building experience that combines creativity, collaboration and purpose. Our team loved designing, building, and racing their horses while developing stronger communication, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. The high-energy race finale created an atmosphere of excitement, laughter and friendly competition, making this one of the most engaging and rewarding team experiences we've ever had." - Wendy Chan, Human Resources Advisor, EDRINGTON
Horses for Causes demonstrated how themed team building experiences can bring people together through creativity, collaboration and friendly competition.
By combining hands-on problem-solving, strategic decision-making and cultural celebration, Team Building Asia helped Edrington create an engaging experience that strengthened teamwork, celebrated the Year of the Horse and left participants with lasting memories and stronger connections.
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