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Come On Down and See What NZ Does Best!
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Come On Down and See What NZ Does Best!
There’s plenty of work to be done, but Horse of the Year Show director Kevin Hansen is back from China buoyed by the endless possibilities on offer.
“I believe the secret to equine trade with China is the Horse of the Year Show,” said Hansen, who is just back from the New Zealand China Equine Trade Mission.
“We broke a lot of new ground but the thing to remember is that a number of European countries have been in there for years, so have a bit of a strangle hold on the equine trade business.”
The Chinese are spending plenty of money on the industry, but it was heading to the Northern Hemisphere.
Hansen, who was deputy leader of the trip, and the 14 others on the trade mission want to change that.
“There is a lot of work to be done in the next month, but I believe we can bring Chinese officials, riders and spectators to the 2014 show and once we get them here, business will follow.”
By business, he means horses, products and services . . . and that would be excellent news for the Kiwi equine industry.
During his week-long mission to China, Hansen collected around 300 business cards from all sorts of people they met, and plans to contact each one shortly.
“If we can get a team of riders, owners and judges to this show, we have been successful in our job.”
Hansen says China is ready to spend a lot of money on all things equestrian – from polo to jumping, dressage and more.
“I believe New Zealand needs to do another mission within the year but after HOY, to back up this one.”
If he gets his wish and has a Chinese delegation at the 2014 show and has the opportunity to show the visitors how Kiwi horses grow up, everything will fall into place.
“I know we can put better horses into their country, and once they see the green hills our horses are brought up on, they will agree.”
