EQUINE Tendon Ltd, an Irish-based leader in equine soft tissue management, has announced a significant breakthrough into the Chinese market following an invitation for CEO Henk Offereins, DVM, MVSc, to address the International Equine Veterinary Summit in Wuxi.

As the Chinese equine industry undergoes a period of unprecedented professionalisation, Dr Offereins was selected as a keynote speaker to share his leading expertise in tendon and ligament rehabilitation. The summit, held on April 25th-26th, was a high-level collaboration between Nanjing Agricultural University, Matai, and Boehringer Ingelheim, aimed at integrating international veterinary standards into the Chinese sector.

While Ireland is a long-standing partner to the global equine trade, the veterinary technology sector has remained a frontier with vast untapped potential. Dr Offereins’ participation marks a pivotal shift, moving from general trade to the implementation of sophisticated, data-driven injury prevention and rehabilitation protocols.

During the summit, Dr Offereins demonstrated the UTC imaging and the TendonPro DSS device, technologies that, according to the company, are set to become the gold standard for Chinese racing and riding clubs.

Henk Offereins, DVM, MVSc, commented: “My visit to China was both fascinating and illuminating. While I recognised the market’s potential, the sheer scale of growth and the appetite for innovation exceeded my expectations. We have already formalised collaborations with Chinese partners and will commence our first controlled loading programmes imminently. Our goal is to improve outcomes for equine athletes globally through systematic education and shared protocols.”

A call for Irish collaboration

Equine Tendon Ltd is not looking to enter this market in isolation. Recognising the strength of the ‘Irish Equine’ brand, Dr Offereins is extending an invitation to other Irish service and product providers.

“The structure of the Chinese industry, centred around large-scale clubs, is perfectly suited for the systematic rollout of Irish equine expertise,” says Dr Offereins. “I am eager to connect with fellow Irish providers to leverage the networks we have established and approach this significant market as a collective force.”