NEWS > General

Q&A with IRT Managing Director Chris Burke

IRT Managing Director Chris Burke took the time to chat to EA about life with IRT.

How did you become involved with Horse Transport and IRT?

I was working with an aircargo charter business in Sydney and started supplying aircraft to IRT. Soon I moved back to Melbourne to work as operations manger for IRT.....That was 20 years ago next month.

What is the best thing about your job?

The diversity of the challenges we are confronted with. Aircraft, horse, disease testing have their issues and I love working through the minefield of potential problems to create a smooth and safe transit for the horses.

Describe a general week on the job?

Every week and everyday is different! Typically we are working on immediate flights departing that week, then we focus on mid-term and long-term projects. In between we manage troubleshooting problems that arise.

What is something people might not know about flying horses around the world?

We can only use aircraft that are main deck cargo planes. This means that the passenger flights you travel on can't take horses, so we are restricted on the flight sectors we can travel on by where the cargo planes fly.

Can you explain the transport organised for the Rio Olympic Game horses?

Rio has been complex as there are no cargo flights from Australia to Rio and Australia does not allow the direct return of horses from Rio, So the horses have had to travel to Europe or the USA and will travel from there to Rio. On the way back they will need to spend 60 days (reduced from 6 months) in an approved country prior to returning home.

Who is the most famous horse you have organised a flight for ?

Its hard to say the most famous, its was great doing all horses in and out for the Sydney Olympics, but the one I am asked most about is Black Caviar.