Industry
By Fang Jingyi
In May, Hangzhou welcomed 124 polo ponies from Argentina and the Netherlands. This marks the first arrival of international horses in Hangzhou since last year’s Hangzhou Asian Games.
Due to the long flight, the horses were likely fatigued. Hangzhou Customs facilitated a smooth clearance process through a “pre-declaration” measure, pre-reviewing the horses’ official quarantine certificates and other required information before arrival. Upon landing, immediate quarantine checks were conducted to verify the horses’ identities and health status.
Hangzhou Customs opened a “green channel” and used smart devices to shorten the clearance time. The polo ponies from Argentina will head to Chongqing in Southwest China for training after quarantine checks. Meanwhile, the horses from the Netherlands have been transported to Tonglu county’s quarantine facility for a 30-day period following successful port checks. After completing quarantine, these horses will participate in the 2nd China Hangzhou (Tonglu) International Equestrian Open at Tonglu Equestrian Center from June 14 to 16, involving over 150 rider-horse pairs.
In addition to the Equestrian Open, Tonglu is developing its equestrian tourism and local horse industry, aiming to become the preferred destination for international horse trading in China and a new hub for the modern horse industry and events. An equestrian-themed tourism resort area is under construction.