Tropical Storm Kammuri News: Sheik Mohammed Takes in Stranded Olympic Horses When Flight is Grounded!

Australian dressage and eventing teams met in their stable aisle at the equestrian center in Hong Kong. Their show jumping teammates are stranded in Dubai during the tropical storm. (EFA photo by Russ Withers)

Australian newspapers are hot tonight with news that the flight carrying the Aussie and Saudi Arabian jumping team horses from Amsterdam was waylaid in Dubai. The papers tell us that ten horses are aboard the flight. A second flight, which contained the US team horses, was aborted in Amsterdam. We have no word yet how the delay was handled there.

A friendly barn for the night was provided by Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, who also just happens to be the husband of International Equestrian Federation (FEI) president Princess Haya Bint al-Hussein.

But it was all in "Plan B" of the international equine airlift organizers at Peden Bloodstock, the flight managers. One reason the US horses flew to Hong Kong via European quarantine was that no horse-friendly stopover could be found in the North Pacific. (Alaska just wouldn't do. Dubai, on the other hand, halfway between Europe and Southeast Asia, and with lots of quarantine and equine transport experienceis ideal.)

Meanwhile, back in Hong Kong, storm force warnings of level 8 have been sounded.

Perhaps of more concern is that the eventers already in Hong Kong had to cancel training because of the high winds. The vet check is on Friday, so all the teams are following training regimens very carefully but the bad weather forced them to stay locked inside their stables.

Bad weather is common this time of year in Hong Kong and extra days have been blocked on the schedule to allow for makeup sessions.

The Spaniards, Germans and Dutch were the first to arrive in Hong Kong.

Here Come the Kiwis!

New Zealand is a force to be reckoned with any international equestrian sporting event. The Kiwis ride with gusto...and can be counted on to enjoy the after-hours and still be on their toes the next morning. Their horses are sure-footed and robust. And they have the world's most winningest eventing hero back on their squad: Mr Mark Todd.

So when the New Zealand van rolled into the stable zone to deliver eventing horses shipped from England, it did turn a few heads.

The New Zealand Equestrian Sports agency reports: "The trip for the horses from the tarmac at the airport to the stables took a total of 90 minutes and was a very efficent process. Once on the air conditioned trucks belonging to the HK Jockey Club, the convory of trucks was police escorted to the stables in Sha Tin. Up to 10 police on motor bikes lead the way, with further police vehicles folllowing behind to ensure no other traffic over took the horse trucks."

Eventing Team Vet Mike Shepherd, who travelled with the horses, was very happy with the flight and the condition of the horses when they arrived. After some routine vet checks, all five horses were given a clean bill of health.

New Zealand had sent ten horses into quarantine at Manton Estate in Marlborough, England under the supervision of team manager (and Olympic veteran) Blyth Tait.

New Zealand's show jumpers are now in quarantine in Aachen, Germany with team manager Greg Best and will ship to Hong Kong at a later date, since the show jumping is the last of the three disciplines.

Here come the Kiwis! The air-conditioned horse van approaches the stable area en route from the airport.

Lordkillinghurst is lead off the truck by team vet Mike Shepherd

Caroline Powell's Lenamore is lead off the Truck by Groom Gill Ford, with a friendly escort by Peden Bloodstock's (and international Olympic equine airlift mastermind) Martin Atock.