Chinese billionaire and Akhalteke horses – life-long passion
Legendary Akhalteke horses, a dream of the Chinese emperors, return to China's life thanks to the dedication and efforts of the billionaire Chen Zhifeng, writes the South China Morning Post.
The founder and head of the company “Yema Trading Group” launched a business that specializes in the import of valuable pedigree horses from Central Asia and Russia in 2009. To date, he has invested over $ 300 million in this enterprise.
Today, the stables of the magnate contain more than 300 heavenly horses. However, there are plans to expand the number of collection to 1000 heads.
At the end of last year, 12 thoroughbred mares and 9 stallions arrived from Kazakhstan. After quarantine they will be delivered to the Urumqi horse farm, which is already home for 120 Akhal-Teke pets of Chen. A large staff of 100 employees takes care of them. Sometimes horses are demonstrated to tourists and the general public at special shows in the Xinjiang ancient ecological and cultural park, which also belongs to the Yema Trading Group.
Chen has been fond of horses since childhood, but he especially became interested in them when he was working as a miner in the Altai Mountains. In the 1990's, he decided to leave the position of art editor in a local newspaper and start his own business, calling the company "Yema", which means "wild horse" in Mandarin.
“If the dragon is the totem of China, the horse represents the spirit of the Chinese,” the oligarch believes.
In opinion of Chen Zhifeng, the Akhal-Teke horses played an important historical role in establishing ties between nations and countries along the Silk Road. And these horses today are an ancient elements, that link the countries on the map of Belt and Road, agenda promoted by the PRC government for the revival of the great trading artery.
