U.S. Veteran Takes On The Ultimate Riding Challenge: The Mongol Derby

Hereandnow.org - Listen in

July 25 2016

The world's longest and toughest horse race gets underway next week in Mongolia. The Mongol Derby spans more than 600 miles and takes about 10 days.

Among this year's riders is U.S. Air Force Capt. Tim Finley. He deployed to Iraq to command air strikes for nine month, and returned home last summer.

Here & Now's Meghna Chakrabarti speaks with him about finding the challenge — and affirmation — in meeting his goal.

Interview Highlights: Tim Finley

On what the Mongol Derby is:

“You ride 25 horses, each rider. There's 40 of us this year. The event is put on by a group called The Adventurists out of Britain, but you get on a horse, you ride for 25 miles. Then you hop off a location that's called an urtu. It's basically a farm, where they have a bunch of new houses lined up. You pick a new horse, ride it for another 25 miles. Rinse and repeat...”

Listen to the interview:
http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2016/07/25/veteran-mongol-derby