The unrest in the Middle East caused the airspace of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to be closed last week. Horses belonging to several top riders such as Abdel Said, Pieter Devos, Scott Brash, etc., were therefore forced to stay in stables in the Middle East for longer. However, the first positive reports have arrived!
The Longines Global Champions Tour of Doha and the CSI2* in Al Ain were also cancelled. But there is good news now! A first group of 75 horses landed early this morning at Liege Airport from Doha, as reported by Jump-off.
This is only the beginning: a total of 138 horses will make the crossing this week. The horses are traveling from Doha to Belgium together with their grooms. In their reactions, several (top) riders expressed their relief that both the horses and the grooms have returned home safely.
"For the past few days, the safety of the horses and the grooms who stayed behind has been our absolute priority," says a representative of Al Shaqab Equestrian. "We are delighted that the first horses and grooms are safely on their way home, and we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the entire team of suppliers!"
With this operation, the Horse Inn once again proves to be an indispensable link in the world of equine air transport.
