The President and members of FBAA were sadden by the passing of Quentin Wallace in June 2025.
Quentin Wallace was the founder and creator of IRT- International Racehorse Transport, one of the worlds’ s most trusted names in equine transport and a pioneer and visionary in the air transport of all classes of horses worldwide.
Quentin was a true gentleman who was highly respected by his many friends and clients in the bloodstock industry and horse industry in general in Australia and overseas.
Quentin’s story began in the UK and he first visited Australia in 1966 briefly working as a Jackaroo in Western Victoria, and during this time he noted the shipment of horses from the UK to Australia and New Zealand by sea.
On his return to the UK he joined LEP, a large UK based shipping and forwarding agency associated with the shipment by sea of horses to Australia and other overseas countries, and Quentin began his involvement with the shipment of horses by sea from the UK to Australia and New Zealand.
In 1972 an equine disease halted the sea transport of horses from the UK to Australia and New Zealand and this lead to Quentin becoming involved in the airborne transport of horses between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and in doing so pioneering the Shuttle Stallion business, which in time became a major influence in the Australian and New Zealand thoroughbred breeding and racing industries, and the formation of IRT in Australia in 1972. In 1972 Quentin Wallace charted the first aircraft ever to carry horses into New Zealand with horses direct from the UK, followed in 1973 with horse flights to Australia.
In 1976 IRT commenced the air-freighting of horses from Australia and New Zealand to Singapore/Malaysia on a regular basis which was great assistance to the exporters of racehorses, polo ponies and equestrian horses these countries, which had previously been delivered by sea for many years.
Over the years IRT has air-freighted a host of champion racehorses inc. Dancing Brave, Better Loosen Up, Black Caviar, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti, Choisir, Vintage Croup. Makybe Diva, Americain, Dunaden just to name a few, many overseas Melbourne Cup runners, Equestrian horses competing for Australia in Olympic Games, and horses performing in large scale productions such as the Moscow Circus and Cavalia.
In time IRT grew from Quentin’s one-man vision to a team of over 100 staff with dedicated offices in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, the UK and Germany, providing the airfreighting of all classes of horses worldwide and all the associated services required for these movements of horses for clients around the world.
The memory of Quentin Wallace and his legacy of IRT will be continued on in Australia by his son Selwyn, his nephew Chris Burke together with staff members Lachlan Ford, Cheryl Dods and Kara Liddicoat.
I have known Quentin Wallace since he started IRT in 1972 and it has been a privilege to be both a friend and client of Quentin over many years.
IRT was the first sponsor of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents and their sponsorship and support of the FBAA continues on today, and they feature in the introduction of our FBAA Podcasts.
RIP Quentin Wallace.
John Ford on behalf of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents Australia
