FedEx Ends Horse Flights Within USA at Start of Winter Circuits

A decision by Federal Express to end flights of horses has disrupted transportation within the U.S. at the start of the most heavily traveled period for the winter competition circuits in Florida and California. The cancellations impact only North American domestic flights and not trans Atlantic operations that bring horses from dozens of countries primarily for the intensive Florida circuit, especially Wellington.

The disruption comes after the crash of a UPS McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter at Louisville, Kentucky Nov. 4. The planes were grounded. Md-11s were first built 40 years ago and are used extensively by FedEx, UPS and other freight carriers.

The horse flight cancellations come at the same time as the peak holiday shipping period.

It had an immediate impact on the equestrian circuit with dozens of horses that had competed at the jumping World Cup qualifier at the Los Angeles community of Santa Anita last weekend seeking transportation to go to Thermal in Southern California for two weeks of Major League Show Jumping team competitions or to return to Florida. The three top world ranked Americans, Kent Farrington at No. 1, Laura Kraut at No. 8 and Santa Anita winner McLain Ward (No. 11) competed in the California event and are based in Wellington for the winter.

Tim Dutta, whose Dutta Corporation is the largest equine customer of Federal Express, said the dressage horses, including the top three placegetters that were in Thermal for the inaugural US Open CDI5* final, had all flown back to Florida before cancellation of the horse flights.

Transportation for more than 60 horses that had been booked five months ago was temporarily uncertain.

Tim said he is seeking to charter a Boeing 747 to return the horses to Florida.

Photo: Tim Dutta, major USA horse transport organizer