Georgia
Mongol Derby: Georgia man takes part in world’s longest horse race
Georgia man takes half in world’s longest horse race
At 57-years-old, Bishop resident Stan Michael was the second-oldest competitor on the earth’s longest horse race, the Mongol Derby. The ten-day, 1,000-kilometer race is a check of endurance by way of the Mongolian Steppe.
A retired firefighter from Athens-Clarke County celebrated his newfound freedom, and lifelong love of horses, by competing within the hardest horse race on the earth.
At 57-years-old, Bishop resident Stan Michael was the second-oldest competitor on the earth’s longest horse race, the Mongol Derby. The ten-day, 1,000-kilometer race is a check of endurance by way of the Mongolian Steppe. Based on organizers, the course recreates the horse messenger system developed by Genghis Khan in 1224. The primary Mongol Derby occurred in 2009, and has continued yearly since then.
“You’ll be able to experience from 7 a.m. till 7 p.m., and also you usually change horses three or 4 occasions,” Michael stated. “And you modify horses at the very least 28 occasions to finish the entire race.”
Michael retired two years in the past after 27 years with the Athens-Clarke County Hearth Division. Round that point, his spouse and daughter simply occurred to see a documentary concerning the Mongol Derby.
“I used to be simply hoping to have the ability to end, that was my primary objective” he stated. “There have been 48 riders from the start, and I completed eighth out of 48.”
Michael says he is been round horses for many of his life. He and his household thought it might be an journey, they usually say it actually was.
“I’ve by no means been anyplace akin to it. Simply miles of grasslands and hills, no fences. You could possibly simply experience.
And on the finish of the day, Nomads made certain he did not have to fret about the place he would put his head down.
“We might simply experience up on a horse at 7 o’clock at night time and ask them may we keep there for the night time,” he stated. “They’d routinely handle your horse and ask whether or not you want something to eat. That was probably the greatest issues concerning the race was assembly the Mongolians and studying about their tradition and their lifestyle.”
Not solely the folks, however Michael says he received to study concerning the hordes, too: semi-wild and born to run all day.
“The unique Mongolian horse, they have been driving over there since Genghis Khan. They’re superb horses,” he stated “The stamina is past evaluate to another horse.”
It is an expertise Michael says he and his household is not going to quickly overlook.