When 40-year-old farmer-turned businessman Li Zhenqiang fell in love with horse riding 14 years ago, he did not have the faintest idea that one day he would qualify for the Olympics.

Li Zhenqiang watches his horse in this file photo undated. [cnsphoto]

Li from Dongguan, Guangdong province, took up horse-riding in 1994 for leisure.

He later set up an equestrian club in Dongguan, a Pearl River Delta boomtown, and began to enter competitions in 1999.

Li is preparing for his trip to Hong Kong where the Olympic equestrian events are to be held from Aug 9 to 20.

"Hong Kong is very near Dongguan. The similar weather and living conditions will be an advantage for me to compete with other riders," Li said at a press conference on Monday.

"However, I know well the gap between Western riders and those of China. My aim is to make it to the finals rather win medals.

"It came as a great surprise to qualify in Belgium last month for the Olympics," Li said.

He has only one horse and has been training with it for less than three months.

"If it had not been for the local government's help, I would not have been able to afford my horse which costs 1 million euros," Li said. His horse, named Jumpy, is a European half-bred stallion born in 1997. Its sire is a former Olympics champion.

Li said he has been taking very good care of the horse, especially to prevent injuries.

He is the third Chinese equestrian to qualify for the Olympics. Li Lina from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, will take part in the dressage event, and Alex Hua Tian, a student at the Eton College in the United Kingdom, who take part in the eventing competition. Li will take part in the jumping competition, considered the top event.

Chinese Equestrian Association secretary-general Cheng Qing spoke highly of Li's efforts to gain qualification.

"Li's success marks a milestone in China's equestrianism," Cheng said. "He has made the whole world look at Chinese equestrianism in a new light."

(China Daily June 5, 2008)