China's Cowboy Craze: China sees growing interest in the American West

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As incomes rise in China, more people there are developing an interest in horses. And not just the animals, but horse-riding equipment and cowboy apparel. It's part of a continued Chinese fascination with the American West. CGTN's Hendrik Sybrandy reports from the US state of Colorado.

It's one of the largest trade shows of its kind in the world. The Denver International Western English Apparel and Equipment Market offers a wide range of Western-related products to retailers who are looking to buy.

JERRY BEAGLEY JERRY BEAGLEY BRAIDING COMPANY "Anybody that wants to get into the Western industry, this is the best place to put it all together in one spot."

ORI ADLER AMERICAN HATMAKERS "Everybody here is looking for the next product."

That goes for this group of five apparel and equipment buyers who came all the way from China for this event.

YIN SHIPIN BUYER "I' m mainly interested in cowboy costumes and equipment."

Yin Shipin owns a horse harness shop in Beijing and is among the entrepreneurs who are exploring the cowboy culture. Anything Western.

ZHU LIN BUYER "We are mainly looking at saddles and costumes, like the cowboy hats, cowboy gloves, cowboy boots. Basically anything cowboy-related. We want to promote both the costumes and culture in China."

The cowboy craze, as expressed in Western movies and TV shows, swept the U.S. years ago.

JERRY BEAGLEY JERRY BEAGLEY BRAIDING COMPANY "People think of America, they think of the cowboy in other foreign countries."

Now, says Jerry Beagley, barrel racing is catching on in China. He just sold a Chinese buyer accessories for the sport. The head of California Hat Company says China is growing as a market for him. The emphasis, he adds, is on quality.

CHIN CHOE CALIFORNIA HAT COMPANY "There's people in China that are making a lot of money now. They can afford this kind of lifestyle, so I think it's good."

HENDRIK SYBRANDY DENVER, CALIFORNIA California hats' higher-end products are made in Colombia. All of these hats are made in a place where they're increasingly being worn. They're made in China.

This group hoped to wrangle a variety of equestrian products during its visit.

YIN SHIPIN BUYER "West Coast-made saddles are highly recognized in China. Because they're very safe, and at the same time very comfortable."

Zhu Lin told us her country's affinity for the Western lifestyle is pretty simple to explain.

ZHU LIN BUYER "Because we like riding horses in China. We even have a horse-riding club for women only, sort of like a cowgirl club."

Not surprisingly, American businesses are more than ready to help outfit their Chinese friends, help them indulge their hobby.

ORI ADLER AMERICAN HATMAKERS "Yeah, there's a lot of logistics, there's a lot of nuances there that we haven't been able to conquer yet. But we're working on it."

Whether it's the younger generation or the more well-to-do, these buyers say the cowboy culture is alive and well in China. They're looking to America to help them saddle up. Hendrik Sybrandy, CGTN, Denver.