Alex Hua Tian

Who is Alex Hua Tian?

Alex Hua Tian is an Olympic equestrian sportsman for China.

He was born in London to a Chinese father and a British mother, and has a brother, called Jamie Hua Ming. Alex started riding aged four while living in Beijing and later Hong Kong. His family moved to Wiltshire when he was 11 where Alex went to Chafyn Grove School followed by Eton College.

He is the only Chinese event rider competing internationally. Alex took a year out of his studies at Eton to prepare for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He qualified four horses between October 2007 and May 2008. Although as a host nation competitor he only needed to achieve a minimum standard, he qualified in his own right through the rankings as the youngest ever Olympic event rider. In mid-2008 he achieved a ranking of 21st in the world.

He was coached by the former world champion Clayton Fredericks and his wife Lucinda Fredericks, who won the Burghley Horse Trials 2006 and Badminton Horse Trials 2007, at their base in Wiltshire, and by Jane Gregory, British Olympic Dressage Team 1996 and 2008.