Horses will arrive in Hong Kong just 10 days before the 2008 Olympic Games and will be allowed to compete during their post-arrival quarantine, following lengthy discussions between Hong Kong authorities and the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).
At the FEI general assembly last May, some nations warned they would not send top talent to the 2008 Olympics after it emerged that horses would have to arrive 17 days before the Games.
FEI vet committee chairman John McEwen told H&H: “We’re very pleased, and most nations are happy now, too. The Germans wanted to send horses earlier, so we are trying to widen the flight window for them — the horses can’t all arrive on the same day, anyway.”
Team GB performance director Will Connell said he was delighted with the 10-day quarantine, adding: “It is absolutely what the experts recommend.”
