TOKYO: Pakistan’s “Mirage” has landed, bringing the country one step closer to its first Asian Games eventing appearance, but a last-minute equipment delay has added pressure to the final preparations.
Eden du Veret, the horse ridden by Usman Khan, arrived safely in Japan ahead of the Sept. 20-23 equestrian competition at JRA Equestrian Park in Tokyo. Khan and Mirage will represent Pakistan in the individual and team eventing competitions.
While Mirage has reached Japan safely, some essential horse equipment and veterinary supplies have yet to arrive.
Transport agents said an additional 4,900 kilograms of cargo beyond the quantities originally booked by national federations reached Liege. Because of aircraft payload limits, the full shipment could not be loaded onto the scheduled flight.
The equipment was then consolidated into a single shipment, making it difficult to determine which items belonged to individual national Olympic committees.
According to the latest schedule, 19 pieces of the shipment were transported from Doha to Narita on Qatar Airways flight QR806 on Sept. 16, with another 34 pieces scheduled to travel on the same flight on Sept. 17.
The agents said they could not confirm in advance which national committee’s equipment was included in either shipment because Qatar Airways Cargo was handling the consolidated cargo.
Once the equipment reaches Japan, it must clear customs before being transferred to the equestrian venue.
With the competition just days away, Khan has sought an urgent update from the transport agents.
He asked for confirmation of which national committees’ equipment had arrived, which consignments remained outstanding and whether Pakistan’s equipment was included in the latest shipments.
Pakistan had purchased a 200-kilogram baggage allowance, Khan said. The team had already reduced its load by 30 kilograms, removed 20 kilograms of feed and taken out several other items.
The timing could affect the team’s final training plans. Khan said the arrival of Pakistan’s equipment on Sept. 16 would allow the team to organize an evening training session. A one-day delay could leave less time for final preparations.
Mirage completes 70 days of quarantine
Mirage’s journey to Japan followed an extensive preparation period.
The horse completed 60 days of approved quarantine in France before spending another 10 days in pre-export quarantine in Germany. The total quarantine period reached 70 days, with all required tests reportedly returning negative results.
Khan and Mirage secured their place at the Asian Games after Khan achieved the required Minimum Eligibility Requirement at a three-star eventing competition in Lignières, France, in September 2025.
Eventing is one of equestrian sport’s most demanding disciplines, combining dressage, cross-country and show jumping.
Pakistan’s Asian Games campaign will begin with the trot-up and veterinary inspection on Sept. 20. Dressage follows on Sept. 21, cross-country on Sept. 22 and show jumping on Sept. 23.
For Khan and Mirage, the competition represents more than another international appearance. It marks Pakistan’s first participation in eventing at the Asian Games with the horse already safely on Japanese soil and the team racing the clock to get everything else ready.
