Chinese equestrian gears up for Olympics
- By Rory Howard
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E-mail China.org.cn, May 18, 2016
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Alex Hua Tian, Olympic equestrian sportsman for China, is at the first Event Rider Masters with his horse Don Geniro in Chatsworth of England on May 14, 2016. [Photo by Wang Zhiyong] |
All eyes are on China's hope for Olympic medals in the equestrian arena at the first Event Rider Masters in England on May 14 and 15, 2016.
The ground of the Chatsworth estate opened its gate to equestrian sports over the past weekend as it held the first-ever leg of the Event Rider Masters (ERM).
ERM is bringing event riding—an equestrian sport that tests a horse and rider's talents in dressage, show jumping, and cross country—to a larger audience by packaging the sport for internet streaming and for TV, and turning the usual four-day event into a two-day event.
The event brings together 40 top riders. At the inaugural event members of the Italian, French, and Irish Olympic teams were among the riders. With the Olympics only a couple of months away, these teams were competing not only for the £15,000 (US$21,500) prize but also for a place at the Rio Olympics. One rider at the event who needs not worry about finding a slot on his national team is China's Alex Hua Tian.
On the ERM's list of star riders, Alex is described as "one in a billion," because out of China's huge population of over a billion people, he was the only rider for China at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and will be the only Chinese rider at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
In 2008, Alex was not only the sole rider for China, he was also the youngest ever rider in Olympic eventing. Now that eight years have gone by, the eyes of Chinese media in the U.K. are very much fixed on seeing if this Britain-based rider can take China to victory.
Alex is currently thirtieth out of forty in the rankings after the ERM's first event at Chatsworth, but this is no issue for China's Olympics hopeful who sees the event as a good place to give his horse Don Geniro a bit of exposure and practice.
Don Geniro is described as "phenomenally talented," but at nine years old he requires some more exposure to larger events.
"[Don Geniro] lacks a little bit of experience, lacks a little bit of exposure, so he made a few mistakes which were out of tension and nervousness," Alex told at the end of the first day.
Despite a lack of experience, Don Geniro is the second of Alex's three horses to qualify for the Olympics.
Alex's oldest horse, Harbour Pilot C, recently competed at the Badminton International in the U.K. Badminton is the second largest sporting event in terms of overall attendance. Alex told the media that the 17-year-old Harbour Pilot C is healthy and fit.
Alex's third horse, Diamond Sundance, has yet to qualify for the Olympics in Rio but this is set to change as Alex and Diamond Sundance will be competing at Saumur International Horse Trials (May 19 - May 22).
It is uncertain which of the three horses will be going with Alex to Rio. "I have potentially three horses to choose from for Rio, but anybody who knows horses knows that so many things can go wrong between now and then," said Alex. He will make his decision by July 29, when the chosen horse will be sent off to Rio.
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