"As horses can easily get hurt during the dangerous cross-country competition, we will protect them and they will only participate in dressage and jumping before the Olympics," Hua said.

World-class team

Thanks to Guangdong Province businessman Jiang's 30 million yuan ($3.8 million) sponsorship Hua has backing from top professionals in the industry, including four seasoned grooms, one physiotherapist, one physical trainer and one veterinarian.

The world's leading event riders have coached Hua since he was 10 years old, including Clayton and Lucinda Fredericks.

Clayton is currently the world's No 1 event rider, the 2005 World Cup champion and president of the international Event Riders Association. His wife, Lucinda, has won the four-star eventing competition at the British town of Badminton.

Other veteran dressage and jumping riders, who have competed at previous Olympics, have also joined the team.

"We should thank the Fredericks for their great efforts in helping Alex achieve his Olympic dream," Hua Shan said.

"They are working so hard at coaching Alex and sometimes they have to change their own Olympic preparations in order to meet Alex's schedule, because they understand that he is making history," Hua Shan said.

(China Daily April 29, 2008)