Qatar Airways Cargo and Al Shaqab to strengthen collaboration in equine transportation

October 26, 2017: In a bid to further strengthen the relationship with Al Shaqab, Qatar Airways Cargo has presented a memento of appreciation to the executive director of Al Shaqab  (a member of Qatar Foundation), Khalifa Al Attiya, in the presence of both organisations’ senior leadership.

The gesture highlighted the growing business and long-term collaboration in equine transportation between the two organisations. The cargo carrier has transported more than 700 horses for Al Shaqab since 2012.

Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said, “Every customer is at the heart of our business, and we celebrate our longstanding partnership with Al Shaqab, the region’s most dynamic equestrian centre and global equine leader with whom we share common values of dedication, commitment and excellence. We have been honoured to be Al Shaqab’s preferred equine carrier over the years, and we look forward to further cementing our business relationship. At Qatar Airways Cargo, we provide the highest standard of air transfer for horses that guarantees care, comfort and safe movement from origin to destination.”

The Executive Director of Al Shaqab, Khalifa Al Attiya, said, “Qatar Airways Cargo is exceptionally professional and proficient in equine transportation. Its expansive network and freighter fleet ease our collaboration by offering speedy and safe equine transportation for our major events in Doha and overseas. We are particularly pleased with the cargo carrier’s dedicated staff and its spacious live animal centre at Hamad International Airport that ensure stress-free transfer of our sensitive and high-value horses. We know we can rely on Qatar Airways Cargo to provide the required special care during all phases of transportation.”

Located in Qatar and spread out over 980,000 square metres and with a stable capacity to accommodate more than 400 horses, Al Shaqab is a leading equine education resource and breeding centre for Arabian horses, offering endurance and equine education. Distinguished by its dynamic architectural design, with a central horseshoe shape, Al Shaqab is passionately committed to preserving Qatar’s heritage by promoting the Arabian horse breed and setting the highest standards in horse welfare, breeding, equine education and research.
 
Qatar Airways Cargo has been transporting horses for Al Shaqab since 2012. To date, the cargo carrier has flown more than 700 horses for Al Shaqab. The airline transports more than 100 champion horses every year for their annual CHI AL SHAQAB event. This is the only Concours Hippique International competition of its kind in the Middle East and Asia to be sanctioned by the FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale or International Equestrian Federation) and one of only four CHI equestrian events in the world, featuring the Olympic disciplines of Show Jumping, Dressage and Para-Dressage.

Among the horses transported are Olympic and other world-class tournament winners. The cargo carrier also transports horses for the Longines Global Championship Tour held at AL SHAQAB every year and will be carrying 100 horses this November for the grand finale of the Championship Tour.