A total of almost 100 horses were transported from Europe to Calgary by Boeing 747s to participate in the Spruce Meadows Masters event. This marks a new record for the tournament, which is commemorating its 50th anniversary this year.
From September 3 to 7, over 100 horses from various countries are competing in the annual equestrian show jumping competition at Spruce Meadows in Calgary.
The meticulous process of bringing these international horses to Canada involved extensive planning, paperwork, and attention to detail to ensure their timely and safe arrival in top condition.
Martha Worts, the sales and operations manager at Overseas Horse Services in Calgary, expressed relief upon the arrival of the horses on Canadian soil, emphasizing the importance of a smooth journey for the equine competitors.
According to Worts, similar to human air travel, each participating horse must possess a passport issued by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports.
Worts explained that the horse passport contains vital information, including identification details akin to a photo in a human passport, breeding specifics, and age, which must align with the corresponding import permit.
In addition to the passport, each horse requires an import permit to enter Canada and a health certificate from the originating country.
Once all documentation is in order and the horses have their passports, the Spruce Meadows equine athletes boarded a cargo Boeing 747 in Liege, Belgium, en route to Calgary, traveling in pairs in a comfortable stall arrangement, as described by Worts.
Show horses from all over the world are in Calgary this week for The Masters at Spruce Meadows – and some just flew in! We find out how to safely fly a horse.
Worts emphasized that the journey is far from a regular