World's biggest equine airlift for FEI World Equestrian Games(TM) Tryon 2018 (PHOTO)

Tryon, North Carolina, USA (ots) -

The largest commercial airlift of horses ever undertaken in the
history of horse sport has begun ahead of the FEI World Equestrian
Games(TM) Tryon 2018, which get underway in North Carolina (USA) on
11 September.

The first 67 of a total 550 supremely fit airborne equine athletes
have now set foot - or should that be hoof! - on the Tryon
International Equestrian Center venue, nine days before the start of
one of the biggest sporting events on US soil this year.

They will join a further 270 horses coming overland to team up
with their human partners from over 70 countries at these Games,
which are world championships in all of the FEI's eight disciplines
and qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Military precision

Specialist horse transportation company Peden Bloodstock - working
alongside The Dutta Corp - has coordinated the highly complex
logistics, with horses from six of the world's seven continents
flying into Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) in
South Carolina and Miami, Florida.

The horses will be flying into the USA on a total of 23 flights
from Liège (BEL) and Dubai (UAE), plus flights from 11 South American
cities including Buenos Aires (ARG), Sao Paolo (BRA), Santiago (CHI),
Lima (PER), Montevideo (URU) and San José (CRC).

"This is the largest commercial airlift of horses in history, with
only wartime shipments of horses coming close, so the military
precision involved in the logistics is incredible," FEI President
Ingmar De Vos said. "These horses are finely-tuned equine athletes
and are not only very valuable, but they must arrive in peak
competition condition, just like their human counterparts."

First Class travel

Emirates SkyCargo, a world leader in the air transportation of
premium horses, is now celebrating its largest ever horse charter,
which started with the landing of flight EK 9387at GSP today.

The horses are flying on a specially designed Boeing 777 freighter
aircraft in customised stalls, with independently air conditioned
zones maintaining the perfect temperature for these four-legged
athletes, which weigh anywhere between 450kg for the lighter Reining
and Endurance horses, and 840kg for the heavyweight Vaulting giants.

"Emirates SkyCargo is excited to be working on our largest horse
transport charter for the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018,"
said Wilfred D'Souza, Manager Cargo Scheduling, Planning & Equine
Transportation. "Over the course of the last 16 years we have
developed strong expertise and capabilities in equine transportation
and this, combined with careful planning and attention to detail,
allows us to consistently deliver a comfortable environment for the
horses in flight."

Mega-baggage allowance

The freight carried from Europe alone - not including the horses
themselves - will total 123,500 (123,500 tonnes) of equipment,
ranging from saddles, bridles, rugs and grooming kits, wheelbarrows
and pitch forks, to horse shoes and all-terrain studs, as well as
51,000 kilos (51 tonnes) of feed, in-flight snacks and 20 litres of
water per horse.

Kevin Howell, Senior Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer
for GSP: "Today's a little different, because this is four-legged
cargo, we don't move a lot of that. Actually our first equine charter
was the test flight earlier this spring. The team is very focused on
moving the horses safely, and keeping the horses in the best health
and spirits for the competition."

After touchdown at GSP, the first equine arrivals were transferred
directly onto trucks - without setting foot on South Carolina tarmac
- for the 82km (50-mile) journey to Tryon, crossing over the state
line into North Carolina with its stunning Blue Ridge Mountains
backdrop.

The FEI World Equestrian Games(TM) Tryon 2018 will see human and
equine athletes compete from 11-23 September for 29 medals in the
Olympic disciplines of Eventing, Jumping and Dressage, the Paralympic
sport of Para-Dressage, alongside Driving, Endurance, Reining and
Vaulting.

Flight time: eight hours 50 minutes
Horses from 13 countries: - Austria, Belgium, Bahrain, France,
Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Oman, Portugal, Spain,
Switzerland and Sweden.
In-flight temperature: 14-17° Celsius

The Games also offer qualifying slots for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic
and Paralympic Games.

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Original-Content von: FEI Fédération Equestre Internationale, übermittelt durch news aktuell