The Pan American Games kick off in Lima, Peru in just 24 days. How to get our Team’s horses there safe, sound, and ready to compete? Don’t worry – Tim’s got this.
Six hours. 2,619 miles. That’s what it will take to get your Team to Lima, Peru for the 2019 Pan American Games. No biggie for the human members of Team USA, but getting the horses ready for – and through – the journey requires serious planning and prep.
But not to worry, Tim Dutta’s got this covered. Tim’s been giving horses wings for over 30 years. “I came to the U.S. as a young boy from India to spend a summer vacation,” he explains. Although he considered riding professionally, he never pursued it. Instead, he worked various odd jobs.
Tim never lost his passion for horses and through the years he recognized a need in the American equestrian community: a specialized company dedicated to transporting high-end sport horses across the globe. And so, Tim decided to make it happen. On September 13th, 1988, the Dutta Corporation was born. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Each year, the Dutta Corporation ships about 6,000 horses to destinations around the world. They specialize in international travel for sport horses, many who will compete in disciplines that you might know and love — show jumping, dressage, eventing, and more.
“We fly out of major hubs,” says Tim, including JFK, Miami International, Chicago, LAX, and Houston. From ground to the airport, the horses are run through a pre-export quarantine process. They go through customs and pass a veterinary inspection. “We lease space on large carriers and charter aircrafts,” says Tim.
For the Pan American Games, the horses will fly out of Miami. But Lima poses a certain challenge—the lack of infrastructure for equestrian transport. “We have to do a lot of planning,” ex-plains Tim. “We went there several times and worked with the agriculture department, customs, and airport authorities to explain our needs.”
As your Team gears up to fly to Lima, it might surprise you to find out that horses actually travel a lot like we do. They have passports, carry-on luggage, and even coach, business, and first-class travel options. They also have experienced grooms traveling with them to ensure their safety and comfort throughout the process.
To keep the horses as comfortable and content as possible, Tim and his team of passionate employees listen to their equestrian passengers. “We have the finest team,” says Tim. “It takes a village to get these high-performance horses to and from Games in exotic destinations.”
But Tim’s team, after months and months of planning for the Pan American Games, is prepared and ready. “From our handyman to me, we eat, breathe, and live sport horses,” he says. “We believe in the project we’re doing.”
As you can imagine, it’s a necessary but not inexpensive form of transportation — a routine trip to Europe and back in business class can cost upwards of $20,000 — which makes it easy to understand why the cost of competing internationally at the highest levels of equestrian sport can be a major deterrent for many athletes with dreams of gold.
That’s why YOUR support is so appreciated — and necessary! As Tim notes, “What we do is only possible because of the generous donations and the fundraising activity of the USET Foundation.”
Unlike other nations in Europe with competitive equestrian programs, the U.S. is a self-funding operation. “If you are a horse lover, you believe in our horses and our riders,” says Tim. “Without the support of individuals, families, and foundations, we would not have the financial support.”
Just like you, Tim shares your passion and love for the U.S. Equestrian Team — and can’t wait to see their star power shine in Lima. “Given the right day,” he says, “We can win the gold medal. Together, we can win.”
