There will be some horsing around in Beijing
It’s lucky seven for equestrian enthusiasts in China, with the announcement Beijing will host the prestigious Longines FEI World Cup Jumping-China League international professional equestrian series for the seventh straight time from April 29 to May 7 at Chaoyang Park.
The three-leg series kicks off its four-day opening on April 29 with local hopefuls challenging elite riders from European powers, including Britain, Germany and Ireland, on customized courses at the park that hosted the beach volleyball tournament at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Launched in 2011, the event is the only official route for Chinese riders to qualify for the World Cup year-end finals, and also offers a platform for local riders to compete with the world’s best.
This year’s lineup includes Christian Ahlmann of Germany, ranked third in the FEI World Cup rankings, along with Rio Olympics show jumping team winner Philippe Rozier of France and Dutch rider Maikel van der Vleuten, the 2012 London Olympics team show jumping silver medalist.
Top Chinese entrants include Liu Tongyan, fourthplace finisher of the 2016 FEI World Cup Jumping-China League 145-150cm competition, Zhao Zhiwen, runner-up at last year’s FEI World Cup China League 120-130 speed and handiness competition, and Tian Yu, third-place finisher at the 2015 FEI World Cup Jumping-China League 130-140cm competition.
FEI World Cup Jumping is sponsored by the International Equestrian Federation and hosted by the regional Equestrian Association. The tournament was founded in 1979 and is divided into 15 divisions worldwide.
The Beijing showcase will be the 15th division of the event and the highest level of its kind on the mainland.
“The FEI World Cup Jumping-China League is a top-level competition,” FEI president Ingmar De Vos said in a video message. “China is an important market for FEI and there is a lot of potential to develop equestrian sport in China.”
Zhang Kai, an official from China’s governing body for equestrian, the Cycling and Fencing Sports Management Center of the State General Administration of Sports, echoed De Vos’ opinion, saying that more young Chinese are gravitating to the sport.
“The FEI World Cup Jumping-China League ensures a steady and fast development of equestrian in China. It has become an elite event of its kind, promoting China’s equestrian to the forefront of the world stage ,” added Zhang.
Cao Jing, CEO of China New International Sports & Entertainment Ltd, one of the organizers, announced at the media conference that the FEI junior jumping competition is coming to China in September — the highest level of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region.
Equestrian is anything but a mainstream sport in China but is seeking to shake its posh image by working to establish a professional system for its long-term development.