(Hong Kong, 18 February 2016) Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) has once again handled 64 of the world’s most valuable horses, competing at the Longines Masters of Hong Kong.
Fully recognised as Asia’s biggest and most prestigious equestrian event, this year’s Longines Masters marked the fourth year of the event being held in Hong Kong, and was the culmination of a 2016 intercontinental series which began in Los Angeles, before moving to Paris. It will once again be held at the AsiaWorld-Expo, from 19 -21 February.
As in 2015, the official carrier for the event was Emirates Airline, for which Hactl is the cargo handling agent in Hong Kong. Emirates transported the horses from Liege via Dubai World Central to Hong Kong, arriving on February 15th. Hactl unloaded the horses in their air stalls, and transferred them through its dedicated animal handling centre, loading them onto waiting horseboxes using special low-angle ramps to avoid injury. When the horses were due to return to Liege via Dubai a week later, Hactl reversed the process.
The entire operation, and the preparation of the Longines Masters equine competitors, was coordinated from Belgium by European Horse Services, one of the world’s leading equestrian shipping agents.
Hactl has handled the Longines Masters equine entrants in all its four years in Hong Kong. Says Hactl Chief Executive Mark Whitehead: “It is great to see this prestigious and unique event back in Hong Kong once more, and we are delighted to have worked with Emirates and European Horse Services to ensure that the very valuable entrants were in perfect condition to take part, and then returned home safely afterwards. It seems horses handle jetlag very well!”
