German equestrian Expertise in China

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Germany is China’s important Partner in the economic, but also in the equestrian sport. For years, Ludger beerbaum and the German riding Association in China. Successes are already visible.

Basically, it all started in July 2001, Beijing won the bid for the summer Olympic games in 2008, and was suddenly in the position of having to horse-riding competitions on a world level to organize – despite the fact that the classical equestrian disciplines of Jumping, dressage and versatility in the “middle Kingdom” had no Tradition. The organizers in Beijing were quickly on the idea, to get help from Germany.

As a world-class rider Ludger beerbaum’s assistance was asked in a Chinese show jumping Team for the Olympic equestrian competitions to build the have been moved, among other things, due to complexity of Quarantine laws in China, finally, in the Chinese special administrative zone Hong Kong. And also at the German equestrian Federation, German national equestrian Federation (FN), knocked the Chinese.

Sacha Eckjans

“It has Sönke Lauterbach, who is today Secretary General of the FN, and asked me to help at the Olympics and afterwards,” recalls Sacha Eckjans – then managing Director of the German Association for Therapeutic riding (DKTHR). Lauterbach and he advised the Chinese in the organization, and Eckjans even got an additional task: “I have been in the Olympics and the year after that team Manager of the Hong Kong jumping team,” says the 47-Year-old. A total of Eckjans to Olympia remained for three years in Hong Kong and worked as a “Executive Manager of Equestrian Affairs” of the renowned Hong Kong Jockey club. In the course of these activities he maintained a lively contact to various riding stables in the Chinese mainland.

Germany in China a long time is not present

On his return to Germany in the year 2011 was a quite fast: The German Engagement in China should be continued. “The FN and I have decided that we need to take care of China in the construction of horse sports,” recalls Eckjans. “Germany was not present at this time. There are many other equestrian Nations were spot on – even for years or decades. Only in Germany was not there.”

That has now changed fundamentally: The FN was founded in the year 2012, the “Equestrian Globe GmbH”, a company, the official representative of the FN in China, service providers and consultants in the horse sport industry and is now China’s leading. “In addition to the pure mediation of coaches and horses we offer the German training system in the Form of courses,” explains Eckjans. “There are very many riders or horse-riding if you are interested in, young people who would like to hang a German certificate or badge to the wall, as a kind of award.”

Young riders in China as a proud alumni of the badge of course, the Equestrian Globe GmbH

In addition, the GmbH advises the Chinese in the construction of new equestrian facilities, and organizes every year the German pavilion at the equestrian sports trade fair “China Horse Fair” in Beijing, the German provider of the horse sports, will present. Add to this the trainer training: “We were the first to have formed in China, Chinese as a Trainer. We will take care of us, but also to Chinese delegations in Germany to visit,” says Eckjans. Also tournaments GmbH has organized in China, in addition, in the case of film productions, helped, and you went with the horses-Musical “Troy” on tour.

Beer tree: “The Foundation is missing.”

Ludger beerbaum is still active in China as a co-organiser of the Beijing Masters, a prestigious equestrian event, the Nest for seven years in the “Bird’s”, the Olympic stadium of 2008 in Beijing, will be held. In addition, he is involved in a riding club in the suburbs of the Chinese capital, where it operates, with a well-known watch manufacturer as a Partner – an equestrian Academy.

“In all the years we have become aware that there is a growing enthusiasm for the horse sport, but the Foundation is missing a little bit,” says Beerbaum. “How do I keep a horse, how do I make it? How do I feed a horse, how do I care for it? These topics play in the Academy.”

Show jumping rider Ludger Beerbaum’s for over ten years, active in China

So there is the opportunity to book training courses, in which the four-time Olympic champion himself as a coach. But it is also training for trail builders and courses for farriers. “We want to use the whole range,” says Beerbaum.

Development land with great potential

Sporty, the Chinese have not improved in the past few years, in the area of the top of the world you are moving for a long time. “Today, there is a group of 40 to 50 riders, the jump properly over obstacles of 1.45 or 1.50 meters in height,” explains Eckjans. “The main problem, however, is that there is no wide base, starting from which you can select on the way up, getting better and better and finer, until only the Top tab, which you send to the Championships.” Also, the “Equestrian Globe GmbH” attempts to work.

At the CHIO in Aachen, where China is this year’s official partner country, will start with the show jumping rider, Mei Mei Zhu, only a single Chinese. The 26-Year-old, trained in the stable of Ludger Beerbaum in the North of Germany, will play for the big decisions in Aachen, but no role. “China is a developing country in horse sport, unlike Japan or Korea, which have already participated successfully in the Olympic Games,” says Beerbaum, prophesied: “With the opportunities they have, and if you prescribe the full and the horse industry is being established in the country, then you can set your watch by it, when you are going to also be internationally competitive.” And that would be at least in part, a German success: made in China and made in Germany.