Equestrian archery center established to promote sport’s standardization, internationalization

Photo: The China Ethnic Sports Association

The China Ethnic Sports Association (CESA) inaugurated the equestrian archery sports center on January 13 in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, a move to promote the standardization and internationalization of equestrian archery sports, China News Service reported.

The center aims to establish a nationally standardized equestrian archery sports system, fostering the growth of related training, competitions, and international cultural exchange activities.

According to the report, the center plans to involve equestrian archery clubs and enthusiasts from across the country, nurturing equestrian archery bases in various regions. This initiative is set to develop a standardized national equestrian archery system, facilitating training, competitions, and international cultural exchange events.

Li Yunyi, executive deputy director of the center, said that in the future, the center intends to align with international equestrian archery organizations and construct an internationally tailored competition system, along with management practices that reflect the unique characteristics of Chinese equestrian archery culture.

Li also detailed specific initiatives, including the preparation of domestic and international equestrian archery competitions, the establishment of a standardized system for China’s equestrian archery grading, the formulation and execution of selection criteria for the Chinese national team, and the promotion of equestrian archery culture in schools.

Wang Xiang, secretary-general of the CESA, highlighted the significance of horseback riding and archery as core elements of traditional Chinese culture. Equestrian archery, combining horseback riding and traditional archery techniques, has become a pivotal competition in national and regional minority sports events.

Equestrian archery demands the use of traditional ethnic attire and armor, creating a unique cultural identification system, noted Wu Gangfang, chairman of the horse culture committee of the CESA.

Over the past decade, equestrian archery has gradually evolved into a fashionable sports activity and a captivating subject for online content creators in China, she added.

The equestrian archery sports center is a collaborative effort involving national equestrian and archery associations, clubs, local minority affairs departments, and youth education institutions, according to the report.