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Fight between Auckland and Sydney carried out under strict health and safety requirements.

Under strict health and safety requirements, New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight has successfully completed a test flight with a small pool of horses from Auckland to Sydney.

With new regulations and plans in place for grooms, NZB can confidently begin to work on limited flights for the backlog of horses requiring trans-Tasman travel.

The test flight was conducted with all grooms and travelling staff in full personal protective equipment including overalls, masks and gloves, with loading and unloading completed by a separate bubble of handlers to avoid any potential spread of the COVID-19 virus.

All horses were from the same property, using only one horse float for transport to the airport and one vet for the inspections and pre-flight checks, allowing complete control over horse and human movements and detailed contact tracing recorded.

The strong working relationship with Tasman Cargo Airlines staff and pilots has made it possible for the planning process to get underway for future flights.

While NZB Airfreight are working on opening all ports for equine freight, services in the near future will only be possible via Auckland to Sydney and return until government Alert Levels are eased to a Level 2 or lower.

The major challenge for NZB Airfreight will be the movement of grooms and staff internationally and the return of the horse stalls that are currently overseas, with limited cargo services to ship these.

NZB are working closely with all regulatory bodies, airlines and governments around the world to get travel lines open to all of our major racing jurisdictions, requiring some patience from clients as restrictions are adhered to.