The 2012 China Equestrian Festival will be held in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, from October 13 to 20. Li Nianxi, vice secretary of the China Equestrian Association, announced the dates at a news conference in Chengdu on July 5.

Chengdu's Wenjiang district held the 2011 China Equestrian Festival successfully, and will continue to host this year's event.

The eight-day festival includes three parts: matches, exhibitions and cultural activities. Visitors will enjoy a series of interactive activities as well as exciting competitions.

The arena and other support facilities will be fully upgraded by the end of next month, according to Tian Rong, secretary of the administrative committee of Wenjiang district.

The official website and micro-blog have been open to the public, and a horse-themed global exhibition has also started.

The event, as the most influential and professional state-level equestrian event in West China, aimsto offer opportunities for the development of Chengdu's equestrian industry and enhance communication between China and foreign countries.