(China Daily) Xinjiang's horse industry is galloping ahead as the region integrates it with the culture and tourism sectors to promote rural vitalization and ethnic unity.
With the largest number of horses in the country, Xinjiang has formed a complete industrial system covering breeding, races, culture, and tourism, according to Yao Xinkui, head of the Horse Industry Research Institute at Xinjiang Agricultural University and president of the Xinjiang Horse Industry Association.
A report released by the association in January shows that the total output value of Xinjiang's horse industry reached a peak of 16.95 billion yuan ($2.5 billion) in 2024, the most recent year with available data.
The output value of horse racing events in 2024 increased by more than 230 percent compared to 2018, signaling explosive growth in the sector.
According to the Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture's recent government report, the region's Ili Horse breed now accounts for over 60 percent of China's domestic sports horse market.
This growth has delivered tangible economic benefits at the local level. In Zhaosu county, for example, the industry attracted 9.4 million tourists in 2025, generating tourism revenue of 4.3 billion yuan and increasing per capita income by 11,100 yuan.
These benefits have been achieved thanks to the local horse industry's emphasis on modernization to meet the market demand for specialized horses. Local herders have been empowered to generate income from multiple sources, including horse auctions at racing events and the sale of products like horse milk and meat.
To accelerate these developments, the Xinjiang authority established a five-year partnership with the Hong Kong Jockey Club in July 2025. This collaboration aims to elevate the industry through co-hosted events, systematic breed improvement, professional talent cultivation, and alignment with international standards.
Despite the rapid progress, challenges remain, including insufficient brand influence, a relatively short industrial chain, and limited public participation.
In response, Yao outlined the association's roadmap for 2026: developing three new high-quality horse culture leisure tourism routes, deepening the integration of the horse industry with sports, tourism, and cultural industries, and establishing a three-tier competition system comprised of a national and international level, a Xinjiang-wide level, and a level for sub-areas within the autonomous region.
One of the key targets is to have participants in horse culture tourism activities account for more than 2 percent of the region's total tourist numbers. "Our fundamental goal is to empower farmers and herders as the primary participants and beneficiaries by transforming the vibrant horse racing culture into a powerful new engine driving sustainable cultural tourism development and enduring ethnic unity," Yao said.
Beyond economics, the industry plays a central social role. The various equestrian and cultural activities connected to ethnic groups in the region bring people together, creating a shared sense of community.
Source: By Mao Weihua and Wang Songsong | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2026-02-10 17:23
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