On the evening of October 13, the Longines Beijing International Equestrian Masters, spanning four days, concluded at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest. In the highlight event, the 150CM Longines Grand Prix, Chinese rider Liang Ruiji triumphed over a field of elite competitors from both domestic and international backgrounds, becoming the first Chinese rider to successfully defend this title.
The final day featured four events, starting with the 90CM Newcomer Competition, which saw 50 horse-and-rider pairs compete in a timed round format. Gao Zihan, riding “He Xiyue,” entered the arena as the 23rd competitor and completed the round without penalties, finishing with a time of 45.91 seconds to claim the championship. Hualian Qian and her horse “Qiu” narrowly took second place, while Tian Nafi from Jinggela Jiahong Equestrian, paired with “Xiao Shuang,” secured third place with a time of 46.37 seconds, also with zero penalties.
At just 15 years old, Gao Zihan earned her first championship title at the Bird’s Nest Masters. “The venue is spacious and comfortable, and the entire course is quite challenging, which helps me improve by competing against outstanding riders,” she said after her win.
In the 105CM Open Competition, 61 pairs competed in a similar timed format. Li Shiwen Di, representing the China Riders Alliance, was the 22nd to compete and delivered an impressive performance with “Meng Meng Di,” finishing clean in 45.38 seconds, setting a new best time and taking home the gold. Tian Nafi and “YOUK” clinched the silver with a time of 45.57 seconds, followed by Deng Jun and “Wu Yue Qi Ji” from Nanjing in third place with a time of 46.87 seconds.
This was also Li Shiwen Di’s first appearance at the Bird’s Nest at just 13 years old. “I wasn’t too nervous. After my round, I watched other competitors and learned from their routes and techniques. I felt quite confident about my performance,” he commented.
The 135CM EuroHorse Elite Competition employed a format of a timed round followed by a jump-off for those with zero penalties, with 28 pairs vying for the title. Li Yaofeng, riding “Xiao Hai Wang,” advanced to the jump-off alongside Chen Yicong on “KARACHI.” Ultimately, Li Yaofeng secured victory with a flawless jump-off time of 50.77 seconds, finishing with one point of time penalties, thus defeating Chen Yicong, who garnered second place with a jump-off time penalty of three points, totaling 52.86 seconds. Remarkably, Li Zhenqiang, riding “KENJOY VAN DE SPELONGCKHOEVE,” took third place. Notably, Li Zhenqiang is the father of Li Yaofeng, making for a heartwarming moment as both father and son stood on the podium together.
In the grand finale of the 150CM Longines Grand Prix, 31 pairs from around the world, including Olympic team champion Scott Brash and Harry Charles, competed in a timed round and jump-off format. Four pairs advanced to the jump-off with zero penalties, but it was Liang Ruiji on “Lan Luna” who emerged victorious, claiming his title with a jump-off time of 51.46 seconds. Scott Brash with “Aurora” finished second in 53.75 seconds, while fellow Chinese rider Zhang Xingjia on “Philemonn van T&I” took third.
Liang Ruiji reflected on his remarkable achievement, stating, “It’s not easy to defend a championship in equestrian sports. It’s crucial to keep the horse in top condition. My horse wasn’t in great shape on arrival at the Bird’s Nest, but it improved every day, and fortunately, today was its best day!”
With the conclusion of the 11th Longines Beijing International Equestrian Masters, the organizing committee announced that the 12th edition will return to the National Stadium from October 16 to 19 in 2025.
