Classic Eventing Nation

Wylie vs. Mongol Derby, Powered by SmartPak: No Stirrups on Day 3

By on Aug 11, 2017 1:43 pm -

In August 2017 writer/rider Leslie Wylie will be attempting her most fearsome feat of #YOLO yet: a 620-mile race across Mongolia. Riding 27 semi-wild native horses. Carrying only 11 pounds of gear. Relying on nomads for food, water and shelter. On a mission to help stop deforestation.

To be held Aug. 9-19, the Mongol Derby is widely regarded as the toughest horse race in the world. Inspired by the Genghis Khan’s original “pony express,” there’s no trail or set route, just 25 GPS checkpoints/horse exchange stations to hit over the course of 7-10 days. Keep it here for weekly updates from Leslie as she prepares to embark upon the ride of a lifetime! Click here to read previous stories in the series.

LW on Day 1. Julian Herbert/Mongol Derby

Did you miss past updates? Catch up on Day 1 and Day 2.

One of the running themes of the Mongol Derby is the unpredictable nature of the horses. As Leslie Wylie detailed earlier this spring, the semi-feral Mongolian horses can range from poky plodders to near-suicidal bolters and everything in between. Mounting and dismounting in particular can be dangerous, as the native horses are prone to taking advantage of that vulnerable moment and can thunder right off to parts unknown without their riders.

Leslie’s pony ditched her today when she dismounted to adjust her tack, galloping away with her kit and vanishing over the horizon, but her spirit remains resilient. She covered about 80 kilometers today, half of that without stirrups, as her original pair are still strapped to the wayward pony, who continues to play cat and mouse with the Mongolian herders.

Day 3 Recap

The day started with decent weather (in comparison to yesterday’s icy, hurricane-like rain) and a noted lack of drama. But just after 1 p.m. local time:

There’s no penalty assessed if a pony gets away from a rider, though obviously the rider loses time in attempting to locate the pony. As the local herders were dispatched to search for Leslie’s pony, she hiked back to Urtuu 8 on foot, and in true gritty Leslie Wylie form took right off on another horse.

Since the Mongol Derby is a BYOS (Bring Your Own Stirrups) event, and her stirrups were still careening around the steppe evading capture, LW rode the next 40 kilometer leg without stirrups. That’s about 24 miles. According to vet Cozy at Urtuu 9, Leslie came in “f—king beaming.” That’s our girl!

Unfortunately, Leslie’s horse has not yet been found. Until he’s located, her kit is gone. She’ll be riding without any of her additional protective layers, sleeping bag and other gear she had stored in her saddle bags. All she has with her is the gear in her backpack. We hope that includes her electrolytes!

Fortunately, Leslie’s tenacity, overall horsemanship and ridiculously good attitude did not go unrewarded.

Rebecca Pumphrey, another lauded horsewomen from Day 2 who traveled briefly with Leslie, also faced an escaped horse in a similar incident when she dismounted for a tack adjustment. In the ensuing chaos, Rebecca also lost her bridle. However, a local family managed to recapture her horse, and she purchased a bridle from them to carry on in the race. That’s some true derby ingenuity.

South African Jakkie Mellet, 41, has taken over the lead, aided in part by early leaders Ed Fernon and Marie Palzer serving penalty time at Urduu 11 for heart-rate violations. Organizers report that Jakkie displayed “cool as a cucumber” horsemanship at his Urtuu changeover and is clearly riding to win. All three are currently camped with herders in gers between Urtuus 11 and 12 with only five kilometers separating the top trio.

Jakkie Mellet. Julian Herbert/Mongol Derby 2017.

Three riders — Barry Armitage, Warren Sutton and Will Comiskey — are staying in Urtuu 11 tonight, though all three will serve time penalties before being allowed to leave in the morning. Another three riders — Ceri Putnam, Sally Toye and Roberta MacLeod — have opted to hobble their horses and camp on the open steppe between Urtuus 9 and 10. Stay tuned to see if the hobbled horses are in fact still in anywhere in sight when the sun rises.

Injury and Accident Assessment

Unfortunately, Day 3 saw two riders retire from the Derby. American Rick Helson, 58, retired at Urtuu 3 and was treated for dehydration and hypothermia; he is now back in Ulaanbaatar after being discharged and is reportedly feeling well. Jane Boxhall, 51 and originally from the UK, retired at Urtuu 4 after a hard fall; fortunately, she too has been discharged and is doing fine. We send these riders our best wishes!

At the moment, the weather forecast for tomorrow looks relatively warm — around 70 degrees Fahrenheit — but also wet. (Naturally, this is all subject to change according to the whims of Mother Mongolia.) Keep your fingers crossed that Leslie’s missing kit turns up so she can enjoy the luxuries of additional layers, sleeping bag and other essentials she’ll need in the coming days.

Keep watching those dots and sending your good thoughts for a safe trip for all, including race crew and organizers, who have done a masterful job so far.

We’ll continue to bring you daily updates from the Mongol trail. You can also follow along via Mongol Derby Twitter (Leslie’s call sign is LW) for live updates. Track the riders via GPS here. Go Wylie!

Jenni Autry contributed to this report.

#EventerFailFriday: Style Points

By on Aug 11, 2017 9:35 am -

You do you, horse. Just be yourself out there. Especially if someone is out there watching with a camera.

Here are a few #EventerFailFriday photos that we found particularly inspiring this week. Be sure to tag yours on Instagram for a future edition!

This ditch was a lot wider than he thought… #shelovestrouble #blmmustang #teambadidea #eventerfailfriday

A post shared by Sydney Janel (@sgb_eventing) on

I see the need of a belly guard girth in this mare’s furture.. #noscopenohope 💸💸

A post shared by Courtney (@cjbenton92) on

Friday News & Notes from Kentucky Equine Research

By on Aug 11, 2017 12:03 am -

Leslie Wylie all smiles on Day 1. Day 2 brought much colder weather and heavy rains. Photo by Julian Herbert/Mongol Derby.

Finally we can say that Wylie found a horse that’s truly her size! What I really want to know when she gets back is how it felt to canter a pony with literally no neck. I mean, where did its neck go? What did evolution tell that little Mongolian pony to make its neck disappear? Questions, I have them.

Track Leslie Wylie on the Mongol Derby! 

National Holiday: National Presidential Joke Day (have your own fun with this one)

U.S. Weekend Preview:

GMHA Festival of Eventing CIC & H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Fair Hill H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

WindRidge Farm Summer H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Otter Creek Summer H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

The Summer Event at Woodside H.T. [Website]  [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Area VII Young Rider Benefit H.T. [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Stanton Farms H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Colorado Horse Park 3DE & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Registration for the 2017 USEA Convention is now open! From December 6-10, eventers will gather together at the Westin Long Beach Hotel in Long Beach, California to discuss, learn and celebrate the sport. A vacation to California in December sounds delightful! Early birds save $50. [Register Here]

The USEA has officially released an online test and certification for eventing safety coordinators. The test itself derives its questions from the USEA Safety Coordinator Manual. Test takers are asked 25 questions ranging from true and false questions to multiple choice. To receive certification, the test taker must answer at least 80% of the questions correctly. The test is not yet mandatory, but highly recommended. [New Safety Coordinator Certification from USEA]

There is a baby goat wearing a neck tie at Pony Finals. Do I really need to elaborate??! You should click here to get (more than) your daily dose of cuteness. [COTH]

Head to Waredaca next weekend for your perfect AEC prep run! They’re offering the option to do single dressage tests, combined tests, or all three so you can get exactly what you need before the big championship competition. [Waredaca Omnibus]

KER ClockIt™ Session of the Week

This week we examine an excerpt from a session in which the rider used hills to condition her horse. As you can see in the session excerpt below, the horse’s heart rate (purple line) increased as the horse started to climb the hill (blue line), despite minor changes in speed. By using a hill, a rider can easily raise a horse’s heart rate into a higher conditioning zone without increasing speed.

Multiple KER treadmill studies have shown that exercising horses on an incline greatly increases work intensity as measured by oxygen consumption, heart rate, and lactate production. These studies have shown that at a canter speed, a 1% increase in grade increases a horse’s heart rate 6 bpm—the same effect on heart rate as increasing speed 35 m/min on a level treadmill. Therefore, equal heart rates can be obtained by cantering horses on a 6% grade at 490 m/min as from galloping on the flat at 700 m/min.

To see a detailed report like the one above, go to the KER ClockIt website and log in to your account. Once you are signed in, you can view your detailed sessions under the “Sessions” tab.

Barn Time Before and After Kids

By on Aug 10, 2017 3:46 pm -

What time at the barn looks like nowadays.

At the barn this morning I was driving the tractor while holding two kids on my lap when I realized something: This is not what barn time used to feel like. Up until a few years ago, my entire world revolved around riding and being in the barn as much as possible. I got my first barn job at 14 and never looked back. I used to think that nothing would ever stand between me and my barn time, like never ever.

As a young adult I would hear statements like, “Noah has a dentist appointment and then we’re going to Chloe’s tap dancing recital, so I probably won’t have a chance to ride tomorrow,” or even worse, “I used to ride horses back before I got married. I miss it!” I always thought that would never be me; I could not survive without my all-day every-day barn life. But here I am, married with two kids, and I get it!

Riding when you’re young and single and free to do as you please is awesome. And guess what? Riding when you’ve got your hands full with a home and a job and kids and all kinds of adult responsibilities is awesome too. These are, however, totally different experiences. Here are just a handful of examples.

Barn Work

Before kids: How many of you can remember spending all day cleaning stalls and grooming and stacking hay without a care in the world? Working in the barn was always so peaceful. It was a time to be outdoors, getting some exercise and being productive. There was often no one around, no questions to answer or problems to solve.

After kids: Nowadays, I can typically be found in the barn with a baby strapped on my back, holding a pitchfork in one hand and my 3-year-old’s half-eaten peanut butter sandwich in the other. Barn time is often a balancing act of trying to keep two humans and eight horses safe, fed and content. On the rare occasion that I have a chance to sneak out to the barn without any children, though, it is even more peaceful and meditative than it was in my younger years.

Riding

Before Kids: Riding was my life. If I was not riding, I was working in the barn or reading about riding or watching videos of my favorite riders. I had a whole life planned out with an illustrious career as an upper-level eventer. As much as I loved to ride, all those ambitions combined with a lack of know-how and resources ultimately led to a lot of frustration. I wanted to be an elite competitor but in reality I could barely get around Training.

After Kids: When I have an opportunity to ride now it is without a doubt the most amazing feeling in the world, although “riding” these days often means tacking up for my kid and leading her around. The great thing is that when I actually have a chance to ride there’s no more pressure. I know I’m not going to Rolex and I couldn’t be happier.

I get on, do my best to ride correctly and enjoy every moment of it. It’s a time of freedom from all the juggling that moms do on a daily basis. The only thing I’m responsible for in that moment is riding. And not falling off. Speaking of which …

The Unscheduled Dismount

Before Kids: We all fall off, it happens. Most of the time it’s no big deal. We dust off and hop back on because why not, right? No harm no foul. I don’t ever really remember being scared of falling and I definitely recall riding through lots of scrapes and sprains and even the occasional dislocation.

After Kids: I just recently took my first dive since becoming a parent (I’m going to go ahead and pat myself on the back for making it nearly four years!) and as I was flopping through the air, not graceful in any way, the only thought in my head was “my kids!” That was it; only two words.

When there are beautiful little humans depending on you for all of their needs and wants in life, dangerous situations can elicit a very primal and fearful reaction. And it’s not only my own falls that worry me. Being a mom has made it so much harder to continue on after hearing about terrible falls.

The Car

Before Kids: Raise your hand if you’ve got some bailing twine and a hoof pick in your car. Don’t we all? The barn car is ever so recognizable: changes of clothes, gloves, ball caps, hay on the floor and seats, probably some horse and/or dog hair and likely more than one lead rope. Some people call it messy. I like to consider it being prepared. I can count half a dozen times when having some twine in my passenger seat came in handy.

After Kids: Well if I was prepared before, I am really, really, extra prepared now. Not only do I have all of the barn essentials but now also have managed to make room for changes of clothes for three people, diapers, snacks, toys, blankets and pillows in case there’s a nap emergency. You name it, I’ve got it in my car, from pacifiers to paddock boots.

How about you guys? How has growing up, getting married or having kids affected your horse life? While there are undoubtedly unique circumstances for each of us, let’s give hugs and high fives all around for the strength and dedication that it takes to persevere when life gets in the way.

Wylie vs. Mongol Derby, Powered by SmartPak: Icy Monsoons Plague Day 2

By on Aug 10, 2017 12:28 pm -

In August 2017 writer/rider Leslie Wylie is attempting her most fearsome feat of #YOLO yet: a 620-mile race across Mongolia. Riding 27 semi-wild native horses. Carrying only 11 pounds of gear. Relying on nomads for food, water and shelter. On a mission to help stop deforestation.

Held Aug. 9-19, the Mongol Derby is widely regarded as the toughest horse race in the world. Inspired by the Genghis Khan’s original “pony express,” there’s no trail or set route, just 25 GPS checkpoints/horse exchange stations to hit over the course of 7-10 days. Keep it here for updates on Leslie’s ride of a lifetime! Click here to read previous stories in the series.

Leslie Wylie (LW), on the left, and Rebecca Pumphrey (RP) were both praised by veteran Mongol Derby vet Cozy for their considerate riding and handling of the ponies on day two. Photo by Julian Herbert/Mongol Derby.

If you missed it, see our update on day one here.

Wildly unpredictable weather is one of the well-established hazards of the Mongol Derby, and this gremlin came out to show its ugly face to riders on day two. “Icy cold, hurricane-like conditions” so thick you couldn’t stand or see, and rising water levels all played a role in slowing some of the riders down to a near-crawl, but our own Leslie Wylie stayed on track to complete the next four checkpoints, ultimately stopping at Urtuu 7 for a night of dry rest.

Two riders, New Zealand’s Marie Palzer and Australia’s Ed Fernon, made it to Urtuu 8 before nightfall and currently share the lead. Leslie is now tied for second place with the four other riders who reached Urtuu 7.

At the conclusion of day two, Leslie is at Urtuu 7 with four other riders, one checkpoint behind the two riders currently sharing the lead.

Day Two Recap

With riders spread out across about 60 kilometers at various points on the course, weather varied significantly at the start of the day, allowing some of the riders at the back of the pack to get going at 7 a.m., while others — including Leslie — were held where they were because of torrential downpours that reduced visibility to only two feet. This compacted the field a bit, but ultimately riders at Urtuu 3 and beyond were finally given the green light around 7:30 a.m.

We’ve since learned from race organizers that Leslie stayed in a ger (Mongolian yurt) near the Golden Meadows Shopping Mall of Mongolia, so she was warm and dry overnight, though sadly missed her shot at a morning pastry chain run.

People obsessively watching the red dot known as LW were anxiously awaiting movement that didn’t come for hours before finally her GPS pinged again, showing her still at the top of the pack. When she finally reached the next checkpoint, her signaler was replaced, and this has since resolved her tracking issues moving forward.

Over the next several hours, a few riders made their move. Rebecca Pumphrey, a British talent agent better known as “Pixie,” led the pack for a brief period in the afternoon and is now one of Leslie’s overnight bunkmates at Urtuu 7.

Ed Fernon — a 29-year-old Australian Olympic Pentathlete, long distance rider and avid mountain summiteer — came out of seemingly nowhere to jump into the lead alongside Marie Palzer, a 22-year-old New Zealander who works as a horse trekking company guide. The two rode the last couple of checkpoints together and checked into Urtuu 8 with just minutes to spare.

The joint day two leaders: Marie Palzer (MP) on the left and Ed Fernon (EF) on the right. Photo by Julian Herbert/Mongol Derby.

Twenty-one riders have now been given time penalties, and all but one of those riders are ar least two checkpoints back from the leaders. One rider, Warren Sutton of Australia, has a 2-hour penalty in Urtuu 7 (the same checkpoint as Leslie) and he will be held for two hours at Urtuu 11 when he arrives there. All the others have a bit of catching up to do in addition to their time penalties, but it’s still a long race to go and anything can happen.

Noticeably, the riders at the front of the pack are succeeding not only at handling the weather, the horses and the mapping, but also their timing — knowing when to attempt a leap to the next safe stop and when to hunker down out of the harsh weather conditions. It will take all these skills and more to come out on top.

We were also especially pleased to see that the vet stationed at Urtuu 7 specifically mentioned Leslie and Rebecca for their top notch horsemanship on day two.

Injury and Accident Assessment

There have been a handful of hardships out there. The most serious to report is Julia Fisher, a 65-year-old psycholinguist who fell from her horse near the first checkpoint suffered a suspected cracked a rib. She retired from the race and was transported to Ulaanbataar for a full medical evaluation and chest X-ray. We send our best thoughts to her for a full and speedy recovery.

Other trouble on course from day two included some shivering horses and riders who overnighted on the steppe and risked hypothermia; a lost sleeping bag (downright treacherous in these conditions); runaway mounts; and the first marmot hole victim, who went buns over teakettle but got right back on, no worse for the wear.

Almost all the riders made it to a checkpoint to have a safe, dry sleep tonight, though some will accrue time penalties for riding past the cut-off point in order to make it there. There are three riders who stopped between Urtuus to hunker down overnight, and we hope very much they found some shelter. We’re sending you guys warm thoughts!

Forecasts for tomorrow are looking MUCH better, with some of the checkpoints already appearing clear, and the western checkpoints clearing up at around 2 a.m. Mongolian time. That doesn’t mean the weather can’t change in an instant out on the steppe, but hopefully it gives all the riders a chance to dry out and cover some ground.

As the day carries on for us and night envelopes the riders on the other side of the globe, we find Wylie’s husband Tommy’s words very poignant: “Each dot on the map, from the front of the pack to the back, is somebody’s pride and joy — inspiring their loved ones back home and risking practically everything to chase a dream.”

It’s an incredible and diverse array of riders, and we’re crossing our fingers for safe rides for all. We send our appreciation to the event organizers and the local families and horsemen who are watching out for the riders and horses.

Go Wylie!

Jenni Autry contributed to this report.

Who Jumped It Best? Millbrook Advanced Edition

By on Aug 10, 2017 11:48 am -

It’s time to play Who Jumped It Best? Millbrook Advanced Edition! Take a look at these photos of horses and riders jumping into the water complex on Tremaine Cooper’s course this past weekend in New York.

Vote in the poll at the bottom of the post for which horse and rider you think present the best overall picture. Go Millbrook. Go Eventing!

[More from Millbrook]

Matt Brown and BCF Belicoso. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Kevin Keane and Sportsfield Candy. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Ashley Kehoe and Kiltealy Toss Up. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Boyd Martin and Steady Eddie. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Kurt Martin and DeLux Z. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Kate Samuels and Nyls Du Terroir. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Lynn Symansky and Donner. Photo by Jenni Autry.

#EventerProblems Vol. 125: Keep EN Weird

By on Aug 10, 2017 10:00 am -

What a “unique” demographic we have in the people and horses of Eventing Nation. Here are a few snapshots from your very “special” lives.

Don’t forget to tag ’em #EventerProblems on social media!

That look when you eat French fries and realize you still have MTG on your fingers… #eventerproblems

A post shared by Alexei Pilotski (@alexeipilotski) on

Thanks Monday. #eventerproblems #fml #wheelbarrow #eventer #eventing #farmlife #still10stallstoclean

A post shared by Amy Nelson Eventer Official (@amynelsoneventer) on

Baby birds! The mom built a nest in an unused helmet! #eventerproblems

A post shared by Helen Brew (@helen_brew) on

#takingittothenextlevel #bubblebath #spadayforthepony #spoiled #eventershavethebestaccesories #eventerproblems #iceicebaby

A post shared by Simone Bøgelund (@simone_boegelund) on


\

When you find this in your helmet. #eventerproblems

A post shared by jmcelhaney (@jmcelhaney) on

Go Eventing.

Thursday News & Notes from Nupafeed

By on Aug 10, 2017 12:03 am -

Jonty Evans and Cooley Rorkes Drift. Photo by Jenni Autry.

I’m just gonna say it: I don’t think this particular miracle with Jonty Evans and Cooley Rourkes Drift would have been possible in any other universe. Only in Eventing would you find this kind of insane storyline (Disney, are you paying attention??) and I’ve never been so honored to own a hair of a horse in my entire lifetime. Y’all gonna make me cry!

Track Leslie Wylie on the Mongol Derby! 

National Holiday: National Lazy Day (which they really should have put on a weekend)

U.S. Weekend Preview:

GMHA Festival of Eventing CIC & H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Fair Hill H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

WindRidge Farm Summer H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Otter Creek Summer H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

The Summer Event at Woodside H.T. [Website]  [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Area VII Young Rider Benefit H.T. [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Stanton Farms H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Colorado Horse Park 3DE & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

The USEA has introduced a new FEH division for 4-year-old horses. Specifically aimed at 4-year-olds that aren’t quite ready to compete in the Young Event Horse classes, it opens up doors for horses that still have a future in the sport but are a little later in developing. Susan Graham White, a member of the FEH committee and a frequent judge for the divisions, took some time to sit down and discuss how they are judged for this new class. [Four-Year-Old FEH Division Takes Off]

Horse sports and the NFL have one thing in common: our interest in helmets that prevent concussions. We don’t have numbers like the NFL when it comes to brain injuries, but we certainly have our own concerns. A Seattle-based company called Vicis is looking into building a multilayered, flexible helmet that’s particularly adept at diminishing rotational and linear impact forces. Specifically, the helmet was constructed to utilize four separate layers which work in perfect harmony with one another. [Flexible Football Helmet Absorbs Hits]

Are you watching the USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm? Get it together man! I know you’re not a hunter rider, but look at these ridiculously cute ponies and their ridiculously adorable beribboned riders! You can watch the live stream when you’re bored at work. [USEF Pony Finals Live Stream]

Hot on Horse Nation: 10 Quintessential Summer Experiences Improved By Adding Horses

 

The second placed pony eating his gift bag has me crying:

 

 

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: ‘I Fell off at the First Fence!’

By on Aug 9, 2017 7:24 pm -

It happens to the best of us! Elisa Wallace parted ways with Indiana Chrome at the first fence of the Training course at Champagne Run H.T. and she had the good sense of humor to post the video for all of us to see.

But don’t let the video fool you! Elisa and Indiana Chrome, a 7-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (City Weekend – Prima Gold, by Strike the Gold), have plenty of successful runs on their USEA record, including two completions at Training this season.

Sometimes you just have to laugh. Go OTTBs! Go Eventing.

The feeling you get when it’s just you and your horse

It’s why we do what we do.

Fight back against colic and digestive upset

Neigh-Lox Advanced provides a scientifically advanced blend of ingredients that work synergistically to maintain your horse’s digestive tract in peak condition by supporting both the gastrointestinal tissues and the beneficial bacteria that populate the gut.  Maintaining a healthy digestive tract reduces the risk of colonic and gastric ulcers, colic, laminitis related to hind-gut acidosis, and oxidative stress that damages digestive tract tissues themselves.  Horses with a well-balanced GI tract have good appetites, absorb more nutrients from their diets, maintain a strong immune system, and stay healthier.

It is why the horse that matters to you matters to us. Not sure which horse supplement best meets your horse’s needs? We are here to help. Contact Kentucky Performance Products, LLC at 859-873-2974 or visit our website at KPPusa.com.

Wylie vs. the Mongol Derby, Powered by SmartPak: Leslie Leads Day 1!

By on Aug 9, 2017 12:07 pm -

In August 2017 writer/rider Leslie Wylie is attempting her most fearsome feat of #YOLO yet: a 620-mile race across Mongolia. Riding 27 semi-wild native horses. Carrying only 11 pounds of gear. Relying on nomads for food, water and shelter. On a mission to help stop deforestation.

Held Aug. 9-19, the Mongol Derby is widely regarded as the toughest horse race in the world. Inspired by the Genghis Khan’s original “pony express,” there’s no trail or set route, just 25 GPS checkpoints/horse exchange stations to hit over the course of 7-10 days. Keep it here for updates on Leslie’s ride of a lifetime! Click here to read previous stories in the series.

Leslie Wylie leaving horse station 2 on day 1 of the 2017 Mongol Derby. Picture by Julian Herbert/Mongol Derby/The Adventurists.

The entire team at Nation Media (Eventing Nation, Horse Nation and Jumper Nation) agreed early this morning that we all slept terribly last night. Kristen had nightmares about the Mongolian steppe, while Lorraine was tossing and turning in half-state of wakefulness, imagining she was trying to remember how exactly a compass works. Our ferocious, never-pick-a-fight-with-that-one editor at EN Jenni Autry admits that even she got a little misty-eyed this morning, as we all did when we saw this:

All of us woke up to see our own Leslie Wylie well out in front on day 1 at the Mongol Derby!

The ponies set off at at 10 a.m. Mongolian time (10 p.m. EST last night) from that little green flag, and 12 hours later, that little red dot at the front of the pack is our very own Leslie Wylie.

She was the only rider to make it to the third checkpoint in time to get vetted, supply up, and move on before the official end of day one, when all riders must dismount and camp for the night. This means that Leslie will have a good head start on the competition going into day two, and also means that she’ll be sleeping on the steppe with only her hobbled pony for company.

Leslie Wylie arriving at horse station 2 on day 1 of the 2017 Mongol Derby. Photo by Julian Herbert/Mongol Derby/The Adventurists.

Kristen and I mused over whether or not sleeping in the wide open landscape of an ancient rural nation was lonely or incredible, and ultimately opted for incredible. No light pollution, no snoring competitors, and a whole new skyscape to stare at before drifting off to sleep for the next incredible day’s journey. (Not to mention the morale boost of being in the lead!)

Leslie’s camping spot for the first night.

Then we zoomed in on her camping spot for the night only to discover that she made it to at least some form of civilization, at least by Mongolian standards. We doubt the Golden Meadows Shopping Mall has a P.F. Chang’s, but it’s far better than sleeping exposed to the elements out on the steppe!

Timeline of Day One

All of the riders completed two days of training with much success, and reports on the ground say it’s a reserved and focused group of riders. Leslie is probably saving her wine for later, as we can assume from this report.

(That’s our own LW in the black SmartPak coat!)

The competitors wrapped up race preparations in prayer with the local lamas, who prayed for a safe journey for all horses and humans.

It was a gorgeous day on the steppe to start the race, with heavy rain moving through briefly in the early afternoon, but appearing to let up in the overnight hours. On the outset, it looks like the horses were ready to run, and we can’t wait to see what other ponies will make appearances in the weeks to come. According to one of the on-site vets, they’re a “strapping set” to get going!

So far, no major problems to report on course for any of the riders. There has been one reported injury so far. Pierre Germaine from Owings Mills, Maryland had to get stitches on his face, but got right back in the saddle and pushed on.

Early on, riders had the choice of following the course over a fairly intense ridge, or going a longer flatter route, and it appears the riders who stayed the course but took on the elevation change (including Leslie) made out better, arriving at the first checkpoint ahead of the long flat routers.

All of the riders have made it to at least the first checkpoint, with 13 riders bunked in at Urtuu #2,  eight riders stopped at Urtuu #3, (nine if you count the one who appears slightly lost to the south) and another dozen or so camped somewhere out on the steppe.

There were a handful of penalties assigned at the end of day one, as well: Eleven veterinary penalties were issued to riders for “speedy riding and rather daring navigation.” They will get two hours of penalty time each, where they’ll be required to wait two extra hours at checkpoint #11 whenever they arrive there. Two riders received a late penalty for continuing on 30 minutes after the cut-off time at 8:30. They had initially planned to camp, then changed their minds and gone on to station 3. They will be penalized three hours each.

According to the organizers, it’s not unusual for riders to get penalties in the first couple of days as they learn to navigate the terrain, judge their horses better, and estimate time and distance. Then usually the penalties drop off quite a bit.

With the 12-hour time difference from Mongolia to the East Coast, we get underway again later tonight at around 10 p.m. EST.

As you’re following along, here’s some things we’re learning about how the live GPS tracking works:

  • You can click each dot to see who the participant is, how far they’ve traveled, their average speed, and if they’ve uploaded information ahead of time, some of their biography.
  • At a specified hour, all competitors — whether on course or stopped at a checkpoint — have to stop moving forward and hunker down until morning.
  • Occasionally, the GPS devices seem to be going offline and then pinging again later on. This is why it looks like some competitors are traveling in straight lines, when in fact, they’re twisting and turning through canyons, hill country, and around rivers and lakes.
  • The Mongol Derby Live Updates on Twitter are the best moment-by-moment info during the race. They’re using initials for riders to make things easier. Leslie’s call sign is LW. You can get a full list of abbreviations here.

Leslie’s progress as of 6:15 EST this morning (the red dot). Despite fan theories that she had taught her pony to fly, it’s more likely that her GPS tracker went offline slightly before pinging again, giving her the appearance of some incredibly straight direction of travel.

We’ll continue to bring you daily updates from the Mongol trail. You can also follow along via Mongol Derby Twitter (Leslie’s call sign is LW) for live updates. Track the riders via GPS here. Go Wylie!