Horse riding graduates get off to a good start

Children and their parents attend a promotion event at a horse racing club in Beijing. [Photo/Xinhua]

Xia said the equine industry has huge potential with the development of China's sports industry.

It is expected that by 2020, the value of the sports industry will be more than 3 trillion yuan and the proportion of its added value to GDP will rise from 0.63 percent in 2013 to 1 percent.

Hu Jun, executive general manager of the Wuhan Jockey Club, echoed Xia's sentiments that there are too few talented people to support the growing equine industry.

The previous education system failed to equip graduates with the specific expertise the industry needs, he said.

"It will be much better if education can be combined with experience in clubs, and it's important for universities to enroll those eligible for horse riding-related majors," he said.

The most qualified individuals for horse racing, for example, are less than 170 centimeters tall and weigh about 55 kilograms, he said.

There is no industry specific qualification evaluation system in China. The lack of a transfer system also results in a high turnover of personnel, he said.

He also said that the industry lacks appropriate pay scales. Jockeys still depend on salaries from their bosses to make a living instead of prizes, as in Western countries.