Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) President and OIE (World Organization for Animal Health) Goodwill Ambassador HRH Princess Haya opened a special session by video message on the air transportation of sport horses at the 7^th World Cargo Symposium, organized by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Doha, Qatar, earlier this month.

The session, attended by global air transport experts, focused on the regulatory and logistical challenges of transporting horses as the growth of international equestrian sport reaches a record high.

“The work of IATA is vital to ensuring that the rapidly expanding and increasingly competitive air transport industry develops in an appropriately regulated manner, meeting future challenges and grasping new business opportunities,” explained HRH Princess Haya. “Naturally, as president of the FEI, the world governing body of equestrian sport, and as goodwill ambassador of the OIE, my focus is on the need for a consistent, global approach to high welfare standards, complying with OIE global standards on animal welfare during transport by air, for live animals when they are moved over distance.

“In the case of international sport horses, these needs are very specific, and it is vital that the air transport community evolves in tandem with the rapid global expansion of equestrian sport, so that all welfare and logistics needs are met," she continued