Equestrianism, like tennis and golf, is considered a “noble sport” in China. But in the countries where these sports originated — the UK — tennis and golf are actually everyday activities open to the general public. Only when one becomes a professional athlete and needs to put in a lot of effort and resources to compete do the costs rise. Equestrianism, however, is also viewed as a “noble sport” in the UK — not necessarily because of the expenses involved in riding, but because it is a sport favored by the British royal family and aristocracy. Queen Elizabeth II is a horse enthusiast, and her daughter, Princess Anne, is one of the most socially prominent professional riders in equestrian competitions. Equestrian events in the UK are important social gatherings. When major competitions are held, gentlemen and ladies attending dress up in their finest. If a commoner wants to get close to a duke, the best topic of conversation is the famous riders and horses.
Hua Tian: Equestrianism is a way of life
Equestrianism is a sport that originated on the battlefield, and modern equestrian sports began in Europe. The Chinese have gained a deeper understanding of equestrianism, in part due to the Chinese rider Hua Tian, who has half-British heritage. At just under 14 years old in 2003, Hua Tian became a registered professional eventing rider in the UK. In 2008, he became the first Chinese rider to be officially registered as a four-star international eventing rider by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), representing China in the eventing competition at the Beijing Olympics. This year, he narrowly secured a reserve spot for the equestrian eventing competition at the London Olympics. In addition, Hua Tian is also one of the ambassadors for the FEI.
After nearly three hours of driving from central London, the reporter arrived at Hua Tian’s equestrian farm ahead of schedule. At that time, Hua Tian was still training a horse entrusted by a client on the sandy ground. After finishing the training session and returning the horse to the stable, Hua Tian invited the reporter into a reception room decorated with strong Chinese characteristics. “Over the past four years, I’ve had many ups and downs. At the Beijing Olympics, I fell off my horse and didn’t achieve the results I wanted. It was quite regrettable. Afterward, I spent a long time reflecting and thinking about my future. By 2009, I was supposed to go to university, but I eventually chose to take a leave of absence and decided to pursue riding as my career.” Hua Tian showed no discomfort when the reporter brought up his mistake at the Beijing Olympics. Since 2008, he has had successful years, such as 2010, when he participated in prestigious events like the Badminton Horse Trials, Burghley Horse Trials, and Blenheim Palace Horse Trials. In both 2009 and 2010, he was awarded the title of Best Rider in the 25-year-old age group for two consecutive years. However, in 2011, his horses were injured one after another, and he only barely secured a reserve spot for the London Olympics before the qualification deadline. “But now, I’ve found the lifestyle I want.”
Hua Tian centers his life around horses, and according to him, there are three reasons for this: unlike other sports, which are generally “competitions between people,” equestrianism is “cooperation between humans, nature, and horses”; eventing is a unique social circle — it’s a very dangerous sport, so those who participate form a close-knit community where “friends are bonded through the trials of competition, like family”; and the venues for eventing competitions are always changing, and at every major event, you’re watched by hundreds of thousands of spectators, which is an incredibly exciting experience. In reality, Hua Tian’s life centered around horses isn’t always as glamorous as it seems — attending various social balls and conversing with queens and princesses. Currently, Hua Tian’s equestrian farm has about 20 horses, some of which are his own competitive horses (though they still belong to their respective owners), and others are horses entrusted to him for training by other owners. He and his assistants take care of the daily needs of these horses from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., constantly tending to and training them. “Horses are not like cats and dogs — they are not pets. They need your attention,” Hua Tian said.
In equestrian competitions, it's not just the horses you watch — the hats matter too.
The status of equestrianism in the eyes of the British can be seen from the ticket sales for the first round of the London Olympics in June last year. A total of 2 million people registered to buy tickets, 500,000 of whom were aiming to watch equestrian events alone. The demand for tickets to this sport alone accounted for a quarter of all major events at the London Olympics. Olympic equestrian events include dressage, eventing, and show jumping. Eventing includes dressage, cross-country, and show jumping.
The most prominent figures in eventing are the horse owners, who include the British royal family, nobility, successful businessmen, and social elites. They have the right to choose riders, cover the costs of horse upkeep, and share in the joy of victories. Equestrian events often feature VIP boxes reserved for top-tier guests, and the only ones with special privileges at the Olympics are the horse owners. They hold “horse owner passes” that allow access to any restricted area. Different from Olympic organizers, officials, and sponsors, they receive the highest level of courtesy.
“Putting in the effort, reaping the joy, yet not obsessing over gains and losses — this is a very typical attitude of a gentleman’s lifestyle,” said Eddie, one of Hua Tian’s horse owners, in an interview with our reporter, describing what she sees as the “equestrian lifestyle.” “Choosing equestrianism is choosing a lifestyle of a gentleman.” Those who love equestrianism have a special fondness for the words “nature” and “classical.” According to Lucy Siegersen, editor-in-chief of Horse & Hound magazine, which has been in publication for 128 years and is considered the “bible” of the equestrian world: “The origin of equestrianism in the UK is tied to a traditional activity — fox hunting. Although formal equestrian competitions have evolved into dressage, show jumping, and three-day events, people in the UK are still more interested in fox hunting. Although there are now more and more riding clubs in the UK, making the sport accessible to everyone, it is still considered a noble sport — primarily because of the close connection between the royal family and equestrianism.” “Gentlemanly” sports naturally require a solid material foundation. It is said that equestrianism drives an industry worth £4 billion annually. Properly feeding and training a horse with international FEI star status can cost tens of thousands of yuan per week.
In the UK, equestrian competitions are an important part of the social season, and the dress code — especially for hats — is quite strict. Ladies and their personal hat designers put a great deal of thought into their headwear before major events, aiming to attract attention. It’s not uncommon for a hat to cost over a thousand pounds. For important competitions, the broadcasting stations even invite special guests to comment on the ladies’ hats. However, true British gentlemen and ladies favor understated luxury. Even if the attire and hats are expensive, they rarely come from globally renowned luxury brands. More often, they are custom-made by old shops with over 300 years of history and multiple royal warrants.
Hua Tian: Equestrianism is a way of life
Equestrianism is a sport that originated on the battlefield, and modern equestrian sports began in Europe. The Chinese have gained a deeper understanding of equestrianism, in part due to the Chinese rider Hua Tian, who has half-British heritage. At just under 14 years old in 2003, Hua Tian became a registered professional eventing rider in the UK. In 2008, he became the first Chinese rider to be officially registered as a four-star international eventing rider by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), representing China in the eventing competition at the Beijing Olympics. This year, he narrowly secured a reserve spot for the equestrian eventing competition at the London Olympics. In addition, Hua Tian is also one of the ambassadors for the FEI.
After nearly three hours of driving from central London, the reporter arrived at Hua Tian’s equestrian farm ahead of schedule. At that time, Hua Tian was still training a horse entrusted by a client on the sandy ground. After finishing the training session and returning the horse to the stable, Hua Tian invited the reporter into a reception room decorated with strong Chinese characteristics. “Over the past four years, I’ve had many ups and downs. At the Beijing Olympics, I fell off my horse and didn’t achieve the results I wanted. It was quite regrettable. Afterward, I spent a long time reflecting and thinking about my future. By 2009, I was supposed to go to university, but I eventually chose to take a leave of absence and decided to pursue riding as my career.” Hua Tian showed no discomfort when the reporter brought up his mistake at the Beijing Olympics. Since 2008, he has had successful years, such as 2010, when he participated in prestigious events like the Badminton Horse Trials, Burghley Horse Trials, and Blenheim Palace Horse Trials. In both 2009 and 2010, he was awarded the title of Best Rider in the 25-year-old age group for two consecutive years. However, in 2011, his horses were injured one after another, and he only barely secured a reserve spot for the London Olympics before the qualification deadline. “But now, I’ve found the lifestyle I want.”
Hua Tian centers his life around horses, and according to him, there are three reasons for this: unlike other sports, which are generally “competitions between people,” equestrianism is “cooperation between humans, nature, and horses”; eventing is a unique social circle — it’s a very dangerous sport, so those who participate form a close-knit community where “friends are bonded through the trials of competition, like family”; and the venues for eventing competitions are always changing, and at every major event, you’re watched by hundreds of thousands of spectators, which is an incredibly exciting experience. In reality, Hua Tian’s life centered around horses isn’t always as glamorous as it seems — attending various social balls and conversing with queens and princesses. Currently, Hua Tian’s equestrian farm has about 20 horses, some of which are his own competitive horses (though they still belong to their respective owners), and others are horses entrusted to him for training by other owners. He and his assistants take care of the daily needs of these horses from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., constantly tending to and training them. “Horses are not like cats and dogs — they are not pets. They need your attention,” Hua Tian said.
In equestrian competitions, it's not just the horses you watch — the hats matter too.
The status of equestrianism in the eyes of the British can be seen from the ticket sales for the first round of the London Olympics in June last year. A total of 2 million people registered to buy tickets, 500,000 of whom were aiming to watch equestrian events alone. The demand for tickets to this sport alone accounted for a quarter of all major events at the London Olympics. Olympic equestrian events include dressage, eventing, and show jumping. Eventing includes dressage, cross-country, and show jumping.
The most prominent figures in eventing are the horse owners, who include the British royal family, nobility, successful businessmen, and social elites. They have the right to choose riders, cover the costs of horse upkeep, and share in the joy of victories. Equestrian events often feature VIP boxes reserved for top-tier guests, and the only ones with special privileges at the Olympics are the horse owners. They hold “horse owner passes” that allow access to any restricted area. Different from Olympic organizers, officials, and sponsors, they receive the highest level of courtesy.
“Putting in the effort, reaping the joy, yet not obsessing over gains and losses — this is a very typical attitude of a gentleman’s lifestyle,” said Eddie, one of Hua Tian’s horse owners, in an interview with our reporter, describing what she sees as the “equestrian lifestyle.” “Choosing equestrianism is choosing a lifestyle of a gentleman.” Those who love equestrianism have a special fondness for the words “nature” and “classical.” According to Lucy Siegersen, editor-in-chief of Horse & Hound magazine, which has been in publication for 128 years and is considered the “bible” of the equestrian world: “The origin of equestrianism in the UK is tied to a traditional activity — fox hunting. Although formal equestrian competitions have evolved into dressage, show jumping, and three-day events, people in the UK are still more interested in fox hunting. Although there are now more and more riding clubs in the UK, making the sport accessible to everyone, it is still considered a noble sport — primarily because of the close connection between the royal family and equestrianism.” “Gentlemanly” sports naturally require a solid material foundation. It is said that equestrianism drives an industry worth £4 billion annually. Properly feeding and training a horse with international FEI star status can cost tens of thousands of yuan per week.
In the UK, equestrian competitions are an important part of the social season, and the dress code — especially for hats — is quite strict. Ladies and their personal hat designers put a great deal of thought into their headwear before major events, aiming to attract attention. It’s not uncommon for a hat to cost over a thousand pounds. For important competitions, the broadcasting stations even invite special guests to comment on the ladies’ hats. However, true British gentlemen and ladies favor understated luxury. Even if the attire and hats are expensive, they rarely come from globally renowned luxury brands. More often, they are custom-made by old shops with over 300 years of history and multiple royal warrants.
