Horses ready for transport in one of the specially designed stalls onboard a Qatar Airways Cargo flight.
By Sports Reporter/Doha
Qatar Airways is a proud sponsor of the third edition of CHI Al Shaqab, a unique six-day international equestrian competition currently taking place in Doha. The event runs till March 7 at Al Shaqab.
Following the success of CHI Al Shaqab over the past two years, approximately 200 of the world’s best national and international riders, as well as 200 horses from more than 33 countries are in Doha to vie for a total prize purse of more than one million Euros.
The elite riders from all around the world will have the opportunity to showcase their skills in five disciplines: Dressage, Vaulting, Show Jumping, Endurance and, for the first time in the Middle East and Asia, Para Dressage.
As the official airline partner for CHI AL SHAQAB 2015, Qatar Airways Cargo is providing transportation services for the horses participating in the competition. The horses, among them revered Olympic winners, arrived in Doha via three dedicated Qatar Airways Cargo freighters that is striving to ensure a smooth and comfortable journey for these world-famous horses.
Ulrich Ogiermann, Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo, said: “Qatar Airways Cargo is delighted to once again offer its support to this world-class equestrian event. We take great pride in providing five-star services on the ground and in the air for these amazing animals, and we are committed to ensuring that they are handled with the utmost care by our team, just as we do with everything that we transport.”
Qatar Airways Cargo transports numerous types of animals in accordance with International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animal Regulations. Unlike other small pets such as cats and dogs, horses cannot be transported in the lower deck of regular passenger planes and must be flown on dedicated freighters. The horses are loaded into “air stables” or “horse stalls” which are special containers that can fit up to three horses side by side, providing safe and secure transport while on the aircraft.
CHI AL SHAQAB was launched in 2013 under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad al-Thani and Her Excellency Sheikha al Mayassa bint Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani. The event, which is supported by Qatar Foundation, is the first of its kind in the Middle East and Asia.
