体坛英语资讯：The new silk route, for horses, from Rotterdam to Shanghai_娱乐

体坛英语资讯：The new silk route, for horses, from Rotterdam to Shanghai

However, organizing such an event in China requires considerable preparation in terms of logistics and transport. Staging an international FEI event requires more than just enthusiasm for the sports, as became clear before the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The equestrian events were held in Hong Kong, because strict quarantine measures for horses were better established and were likely to result in fewer problems with equine disease than in the Chinese mainland.

"It is a challenge," admits Straus. "Logistically, transport and in terms of quarantine measures." The FEI is working closely with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to make horse movement easier around the world to help the growth of equestrian sport.

Dutch team captain Rob Ehrens, a former jumping rider, would love to manage his team in a Chinese competition. "I have not done this myself, but it would be good to have a nations event there," he told Xinhua. " There are nations competitions all over the world, so why not there? Logistics and transport should not be a problem anymore. It is just about good planning. It would be good for horse sports."

Despite the absence in the arena China is not absent at all in Rotterdam. The theme of this year's CHIO is the 'New Silk Route', referring to the ancient network of trade routes connecting the East and West. The goal is to connect businesses and people, from Rotterdam via Dubai and Oman to Shanghai. The port of Rotterdam has warm ties with these big port cities, where horse riding is on the rise. The CHIO is not only about sports, as De Mooij already said, it is about networking, with for instance several Chinese businesses present. Among the 50,000 spectators over four days in Rotterdam there are around 30,000 VIPs.