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The Mongol Derby is officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the longest, toughest horse race in the world, a once-in-a-lifetime experience from my most treasured place – the back of a horse...and I am competing in it...

On 7 August 2010, me and thirty four riders face a gruelling 1000km race on horse back across the empty wilderness of Mongolia. Armed with only a GPS, satellite tracker, and 6kg's of extra baggage, this is certainly no ordinary horse race.

Racing for charity

The Mongol Derby is not only about having a proper adventure, it was also about raising as much cash as possible for charity.  Part of the deal for me competing was that I had to raise plenty of money for a worthy cause or two.  I am collecting on behalf of Mercy Corps, the Mongol Derby’s charity in order to qualify to take part.  It would be wonderful if you could sponsor me using the Just Giving toggles.

A bit about Mercy Corps

Over the past five years Mercy Corps have been guardians of the nomadic way of life in the Gobi desert, helping to establish co-operatives between groups of herding families to spread the risks and share the rewards, at a time of painful transition from Communism and desperately inclement weather which killed hundreds of thousands of heads of livestock.  Co-operatives allow herders to travel further to market to achieve higher prices, and learn about best practice from farmers from much further afield. It is these people, the nomads, that will be providing the horse stations every 30-40km along the route where riders will change horses and find local food.

Mercy Corps are hands on in terms of identifying needs and calculating how best to address them, they have a network on the ground and the agility to implement programmes rapidly and efficiently.  All this means is they can do an incredible amount of lasting good work with the money we will raise.  It is their energy and ideas that ultimately will turn crisis into opportunity. 

Mongolia has been stricken by the harshest winter this year. Nomad families have lost such vast numbers of their livestock (what they primarily survive on) that even the yacks have been staving to death or dying of cold.  Reports are as vast as one group having 1500 stock before winter only having 500 left. Mercy corps is helping alleviate this by getting supplies to the families.

Read more about their work at www.mercycorps.org.uk

MORE ABOUT THE RACE visit http://mongolderby10.theadventurists.com/gina to find out more about my adventure, Mongolia and riding. Post this to your friends!

The Route

The route/race has been inspired by the formidable postal system of the mighty Chinngis Khaan's postal system, when there was an obvious need to keep in touch with the various corners of his empire. He took the existing ancient and rather small network of horse messengers and supercharged it, creating an efficient relay system of horse-stations.  With horses stationed every 30 to 40 km, it's said he could get a message from Mongolia to Eastern Europe in just fourteen days.

The Great Khaan's mighty postal system may have long since faded into history but this year, in the shimmering heat of summer, The Adventurists will resurrect the horse-stations and gather 1000 horses for the race. 

The horses with 8 speeds

These are not just any old horses - they're semi-wild Mongolian ponies, quite small but hard as nails. In Mongolia, not only is the horse considered sacred but they have some of the last truly wild breeds of horse left in the world and it is these that we will ride.  Each horse is ridden only once for no more than 40km and, with an extensive veterinary and feeding program running over the months leading up to the race, these will be some of the fittest horses in Mongolia. Mongolian horses have eight speeds (unlike Western trained horses which have four) rumour has it speeds five to eight are generally quite painful for the rider.

The Adventurists have gone to great lengths to ensure proper working relationships with the horse breeders and owners, not only paying them for the use of their horses but ultimately these communities will also benefit from the money raised for charity by the riders taking part in the Derby (see the charity section).  

Me and my GPS

The Mongol Derby will see me tackle the challenge of the semi-wild horses and surviving alone in the wild steppes of Mongolia. There's no carefully marked course, no catering tent and no support; this is horse racing on a whole new scale.  There will be huge stretches with no paths or tracks at all. In fact even when there are tracks there is little chance they will be going in the right direction. The route will me navigated by riders with the help of their GPS, and in the event of an emergency, each rider has a satelite tracking device.

Getting into the race

Riders taking part had to undergo a thorough application process in order to be considered, meticulously detailing their equestrian background, their reasons for taking part and provide references. All the competitors are all extremely experienced horse riders and owners, ranging from eventers to dressage riders to polo players and all have the horses welfare uppermost in their minds.