They are not cargo. They are athletes worth millions. Moving them safely across continents demands a level of precision most industries never encounter.

At the inaugural Global Event Logistics Summit (GELS) 2026 in Bangkok, STAT Publishing Group Editor Reji John moderated a panel that revealed the extraordinary logistics behind elite equestrian sport: from the arena to the aircraft to the terminal floor.

Joining him were distinguished speakers: Nick Brooks Ward, Operations Director at HPower Group, the organiser behind the Royal Windsor Horse Show, the Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show, and many others; Henry Bullen, Managing Director of Peden Bloodstock, a trusted name in global equine logistics delivering true stable to stable movement for Olympic and world championship horses; and Paul Cheng, Executive Director of Operations at Hactl, operator of one of the world’s most advanced cargo terminals at Hong Kong International Airport, where live horse handling meets record breaking freight throughput.

Together, they unpack what it really takes to move a living, high-value athlete safely across borders; the preparation before a horse ever nears an aircraft, the regulatory maze of biosecurity and customs, the welfare science behind jet lag and long-haul stress, and the ground handling that turns a cargo terminal into a receiving stable.

This is logistics where the stakes are measured in milliseconds, million-dollar animals, and Olympic dreams.

EquestrianLogisticsAirCargoGELS2026HorseTransportLiveAnimalLogisticsEventLogisticsBloodstockHongKongCargoHactlPedenBloodstockHPowerGroupSTATTradeTimesSupplyChainCargoLogisticsLonginesGlobalChampionsTourLongines Ask

Our Correspondent

    internal