- Title: CHINA: EQUESTRIAN CLUB WITH OLYMPIC AMBITIONS
- Date: 15th November 2004
- Summary: (L!2) BEIJING, CHINA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) PEOPLE WALKING HORSES AT EQUULEUS RIDING CLUB MAN ON HORSE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE EXERCISING HORSES (2 SHOTS) MAN JUMPING HORSE WHILE TRAINER WATCHES JUMPING FENCE MAN AND WOMAN WATCHING HORSES BEING EXERCISED (3 SHOTS) TRAINERS STANDING AND WATCHING MC (Mandarin) ZHANG KE, TRAINER, SAYING; "Because of China's recent economic development, horse riding has just started up here. It will take a long time studying from western countries which already have a strong equestrian tradition. For us - horse riding is still a very new thing, so it will be a while." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE EXERCISING HORSES (2 SHOTS) WOMAN WATCHING EXERCISING (2 SHOTS) MCU (English) WANG QIANG, EQUUELEUS RIDING CLUB MANAGER, SAYING: "It is really hard for us to really achieve the goal - to have a very good result. But you know, Chinese people do believe in miracles because we can build things quickly, we can make things quickly, we can change things quickly. But you know, personally I do believe that the riding things, equestrian things, should be built step by step and gradually. But I think if we try very hard, we put a lot of money in it, and we send our riders abroad, we might make miracles." MAN RIDING HORSE HORSES INSIDE STABLES GROOMS CLEANING HORSES CLOSE OF HORSE'S EYE MCU (Mandarin) CLUB MEMBER, SHAO YI, 15 YEARS OLD, SAYING: "I began to be interested in riding two years ago. The first time I saw riding I thought it was very beautiful - the riding clothes the people were wearing, the horses themselves, and the dressage - it all made me really envious. And watching the riders working in co-ordination with the horses, and being able to control them - I really felt envious. I like horses and communicating with animals, so I decided to go for riding." HORSES IN STABLE
- Embargoed: 30th November 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City:
- Country: China
- Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky,Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA9H9ZICMFWLMRSITXG7ZWXC2DS
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- Story Text: A growing class of well-heeled in Beijing have another watering hole: an upscale British-style equestrian club with Olympic ambitions.
On the dusty outskirts of Beijing, a handful of retired thoroughbreds from the racetracks of Hong Kong are taken through their warm-ups by a new breed in China - professional riders.
The nation that gave the world the stirrup is saddling up in preparation for Beijing's 2008 games.
But the chic equestrian club - like the dozens that have sprung up around the city in recent years - is about more than dreams of Olympic grandeur.
Equestrian sports are quickly becoming another popular way for a growing well-fed, well-dressed middle class to spend their money.
Although the nation now boasts over 80 riding clubs, professionals say it will be years before Chinese riders are up to scratch.
"Because of China's recent economic development, horse riding has just started up here. It will take a long time studying from western countries which already have a strong equestrian tradition. For us - horse riding is still a very new thing, so it will be a while," said trainer Zhang Ke (pron: djahng kuh).
At seven million, China has more horses than any other nation - but most are harnessed up for agricultural work and not much use in international competitions.
Centuries ago, the paucity of quality horses motivated massive military forays to capture superior animals from Central Asia.
Today, economic growth has opened the door to more peaceful acquisitions - clubs in Beijing are supplied with thoroughbreds originating in Australia, many of them retired racehorses from Hong Kong and Macau.
Young riders are provided with squat local breeds from the barren plains of Xinjiang province.
Olympic hopes lie with the country's 10 government-supported professional teams.
But even the most optimistic riders don't see Olympic gold as a sure thing for 2008.
"It is really hard for us to really achieve the goal - to have a very good result. But you know, Chinese people do believe in miracles because we can build things quickly, we can make things quickly, we can change things quickly. But you know, personally I do believe that the riding things, equestrian things, should be built step by step and gradually. But I think if we try very hard, we put a lot of money in it, and we send our riders abroad, we might make miracles," said club manager Wang Qiang (pron: wahng chee-ahng) - who left a glamorous editing post at Cosmopolitan magazine to build up the club's membership and facilities.
The equestrian industry is risky business in China - domestic insurers shy away from what they consider high-risk activities, and qualified veterinarians are hard to come by.
For now, Beijing is jockeying with other cities for the rights to host the 2008 equestrian events - a decision that ultimately lies with the International Olympic Committee.
But this club isn't sitting back waiting for developments.
In the four years since the club was founded, they have grown their membership from a handful of mostly expatriate riders to over 300 - more than half of whom are Chinese.
Local members hail mostly from the comfortable middle class anxious to sample the luxuries of a western lifestyle.
"I began to be interested in riding two years ago. The first time I saw riding I thought it was very beautiful - the riding clothes the people were wearing, the horses themselves, and the dressage - it all made me really envious. And watching the riders working in co-ordination with the horses, and being able to control them - I really felt envious. I like horses and communicating with animals, so I decided to go for riding," said Shao Yi (pron: shah-ow yee), a 15 year-old club member.
The club has invested thousands of dollars sending riders overseas to compete with the best of the west so that, come 2008, Beijing will be prepared to put its best hoof forward. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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