By Jesse Wieten


ROTTERDAM nike air force 1 low homme pas cher , The Netherlands, June 23 (Xinhua) -- The 69th edition of one of the most prestigious equestrian events in Europe takes place in Rotterdam from June 22 until June 25, with the organizers already dreaming of such an event in China, one of the promised lands in the horse world.


One horse rider walking hand in hand with his child, another on a bicycle and one other relaxing on a steady ride on his brown horse, at the same time chatting with a friend on his mobile phone. It is not the scenery you would expect a few hours before one the most prestigious horse competitions in the world, but it is the scenery of the CHIO. It is the most prestigious equestrian event in the Netherlands, and after Aachen the second biggest in Europe. With a long history going back to 1948, CHIO Rotterdam is the oldest international sport event in Rotterdam.


"The CHIO is about more than sports," explained Jan de Mooij, the chief operating officer of CHIO Rotterdam, to Xinhua.


In the beautiful green environment of the Kralingse Bos, a wooded park that surrounds the Kralingse Plas lake, the best jumping horses and the best riders from Europe competed against each other on Friday as part of an FEI Nations Cup Jumping qualifier in the top European division. In this competition national teams, and in this case the Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, competed for one of the most coveted prizes in this Olympic discipline.


The FEI Nations Cup Jumping is equestrian sport's oldest and most prestigious team challenge, with a history dating back to 1909, and one of the biggest showpieces of the international equestrian federation, the FEI. A record number of 50 teams from across the globe, from two European divisions, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East are competing in the series this year. The final will be held in Barcelona for the 5th consecutive time, at the end of September 2017.


China is missing on the list. The Asian giant is not an equestrian giant just yet. A Chinese jumping star in the Nations Cup has not yet arisen, unlike in eventing, where Alex Hua Tian, born in London to a Chinese father and British mother entered the spotlight as China's first Olympic equestrian athlete in Beijing. In Rio, he placed eighth out of 25 athletes and is now targeting Tokyo 2020.


"This could happen to a jumping rider as well," said Ralph Straus, commercial director of the FEI, to Xinhua. "I think it is possible to have a Chinese jumper at the Olympics in a few years. That would accelerate the development of horse sports in China, because jumping is the most popular of horse disciplines."


"In a few years we will see the first Chinese jumper in the Kralingse Bos," said De Mooij. "Now they already jump over 1.40 meter but in a few years they will also jump over 1.60 meter."


Dutch national team coach Rob Ehrens added: "The level is growing all over the world. I think we will see a Chinese jumper at this CHIO level in a few years."


The Nations Cup Jumping competition in Rotterdam is one of the eight division one venues from the European series. Italy won the two previous events at home in Rome and then in St Gallen, Switzerland. While in equestrian sport teams like the United States, Germany, France and The Netherlands normally top the tables, the competition is really starting to open up with other nations putting in stellar performances. Wins from teams which previously struggled to be competitive at the top levels of jumping are a positive sign for the future of the sport. In Rotterdam Sweden took the first prize, before Switzerland and Italy. It also gives a country like China perspective.


The Chinese riders are not yet present, but they have found the way to Dutch horses already. "Per year 14,000 Dutch horses are being moved to China," reacted De Mooij. "That means 300 big planes per year filled with horses. All bred in the Netherlands. Dutch horses are held in high esteem all over the world. But it is not only the horse. We have so much know-how. We have to guide this process well, with trainers, instructors."


The choice for the Dutch horse is not strange. The Netherlands have a large history in horse sports. There are 450,000 horses in the country and the Dutch horse industry contains 10,000 equestrian companies and a total turnover of 2 million euros, figures by the Dutch equestrian federation KNHS say. "The Dutch horses are known to be willing, fearless, physically and mentally strong, and bred to perform at the highest level," according to a statement by the organization behind the breeding of Dutch horses, the KWPN. "The combination of sport aptitude and an uncomplicated temperament make these horses unique and very popular at all levels of equestrian sport and breeding."


The quality of the Dutch horses is visible in the results, like on the latest Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Although the Dutch riders did not obtain any medals for the first time since 1988, the Dutch horses were able to do so. In virtually every discipline the Dutch horses played an important role. In dressage Dutch horses even contributed to every color team medal.


FEI figures show that people in China are very much interested in equestrian, with 235 million of the total of 753 million equestrian fans around the world being from China.


"It is an important market with a lot of potential fans," reacted Dutchman Straus, commercial director of the FEI since November 2015. "A real growth market. We are in close cooperation with the Chinese equestrian federation to further develop the sport, to make it more professional and to develop Chinese riders. China now has the FEI World Cup Jumping China League as a qualifier for the FEI World Cup Jumping Final. In this league Chinese athletes do beat European athletes which is helping Chinese fans to get behind their local heroe . Cheap NHL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NBA Jerseys From China Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Cheap NCAA Jerseys China Wholesale Authentic Sports Jerseys Wholesale Authentic Sports Jerseys Wholesale Authentic Sports Jerseys Cheap Replica Soccer Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Online