Equestrian chief: China on course to be galloping success

After a century, Olympic equestrian events have returned to their roots in Paris, set against the grand backdrop of the Chateau de Versailles. First introduced at the 1900 Paris Games, and revisited in 1924, these historic competitions once again take center stage in the City of Light.

The equestrian events kicked off on Saturday and drew large crowds, as riders and their equine partners competed under sunny skies. On Monday, Great Britain triumphed in the team eventing, while host nation France and Japan secured the silver and bronze medals. Germany's Michael Jung clinched the individual eventing title.

"I think that we are here in the most beautiful venue of the Olympic Games, in the Palace of Versailles," said Ingmar De Vos, president of the International Equestrian Federation. "I feel how different the equestrian events are in Paris, compared with any other games."

De Vos praised the infrastructure of the competition and said he was glad to see the global growth of equestrian sports.

"We have many more different nationalities competing than we did a hundred years ago. The horses are much better, and the athletes are much healthier. I think it's a completely different sport now. It's very technical," he said.

According to De Vos, Sunday's cross-country competition attracted an impressive 45,000 spectators, filling the stands to capacity. "The IOC told me that the equestrian events are among the most in-demand among visitors from all over the world, so we are very happy," he said.

"My main hope is that we have happy, healthy horses and safe athletes, and that they all enjoy the Games," De Vos said. "For many of them, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I really hope that they enjoy it. This is the best way to promote themselves, to promote their sport and to promote the horses."

The Olympic Games offer a unique opportunity to watch a wide variety of sports and witness a global community of top athletes coming together to celebrate the Olympic spirit and values, he said.

Alex Hua Tian fully experienced the crowd's enthusiasm, remarking that the Paris Games symbolize the homecoming of equestrian sports.

"For the three previous Olympics that I've competed in Beijing, Rio and Tokyo, the equestrian sports have been a little bit exotic. It's a new sport for people in those places. It's still developing and still growing."

"Whereas coming here, with the crowds at the cross-country and in the show jumping arena, it really gives you and the horse a very special feeling, let alone the surroundings of the Palace of Versailles. I'll never forget this moment."

Hua concluded his fourth Olympics with a 23rd-place finish in individual eventing, falling short of his best result of eighth place in Rio.

Hua and his horse were in a joint bronze medal position on a score of 22 after the first competition day, and they were excited for the cross-country stage. However, Hua faced a controversial setback during his run — his horse Chocs brushed against a flag, resulting in a 15-point penalty.

"We had a little incident where Chocs was distracted by one of the jump judges who was wandering around on the jumping line, and we hit the flag," Hua explained.

Hua lodged a formal appeal, but the jury upheld the ruling. "I have to accept it," Hua stated.

Other penalties in the cross-country, and the earlier dressage stage, amounting to 42.6 points, saw Hua's ranking plummet from 3rd to 32nd. With the podium well out of reach, the pressure eased for Hua, and he was able to enjoy the last competition day and just had fun.

While Hua was disappointed, he was proud of his horse. "He could not have tried any harder. He's such a talented horse. He is a total dream for anyone to bring here," he said.

De Vos thought that, without the mistake on the fence during the cross-country phase, Hua would have stood a very good chance of a podium finish.

"He was a bit unlucky yesterday, but it shows that there is the potential and that's really important for the country. It's really important to have an Olympic dream and to have a chance to gain medals," De Vos said.

With a growing number of international events being held in China, such as the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup next year, De Vos thinks that China is certainly a rising force in equestrian sports.

"I think they should continue to work hard for the future, and, with all the development of the sport in China, as well as the support from the government, medals are a real possibility in the future."

"We are also helping with the education of equestrians. There is a lot of work to be done, and we are working together with the federation to make that happen."

For Hua, he has not decided whether to take part in the National Games or the Asian Championships in Thailand next year, but one thing for sure is that he will continue to practice the sport he loves.

"There's no end in sight at the moment. I love what I do. As long as my body is happy for me to keep doing it, I will keep doing it," Hua said.

Contact the writers at liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn