Day 3 of the Mongol Derby. Mongol Derby Alumni Devan Horn and Leslie Wylie’s husband Tommy Bateman join Glenn for a special 8pm Facebook Live wrap up of Day 3 of the Mongol Derby and a look ahead to Day 4. Leslie had a wild night with uncooperative ponies! Listen in...
Day 4. I Can See Clearly Now, the Rain Is Gone - Michelle Tanaka Ops Room & 2015 joint 3rd place
Riders finally got a dry(ish) day, making for much-improved spirits and quicker riding. HQ admittedly had a bit of head-scratching and abacus-consulting to do over where to send which crews when. (We figured it out. We always do.)
Penalty Urtuu U11 saw a buttload of action today. Having Naughty Listers serve time in the Naughty Corner meant far fewer penalties (or riders are cottoning onto when to stop flogging it). No penalties earned past U11, so intervals between riders are accurate. With one important exception: Marie Palzer, our front running woman, was slapped with a heart rate penalty at U16, no doubt for hoofing it too hard to catch the boys before riding cutoff. She won’t have to serve that until U22, though.
A couple riders had full-on spa days at the Penalty Urtuu. If U11 was a spa, that is. (It could be argued that sitting on one’s arse for a few hours is a luxury after a few days trying to keep it in the saddle.)
Leaders remain the same. Ed Fernon and Marie caught up with Jakkie Mellet at U16 this evening, just in time. Barry Armitage is camping out alone half a leg behind them, narrowing their lead.
Notably, Marie is the only female in the fastest five riders, anomalous in the Derby. Let’s see if the gents can continue to dominate the top for the second half of the race.
Broadly speaking, the ‘Racing’ class of riders has pulled away from the ‘Adventure’ class, with the back third of the field congealing into the (probably now very stinky) Penalty Urtuu. Some can ride off first thing in the morning, while others will get a bit of a lie-in for their sins. Blessing in disguise, we’d say.
No equine tantrums at the railway underpass outside of U13. Yet. Recall pre-race training titters when riders were briefed on it. Half the field will negotiate it tomorrow—and this is the more troublesome half of the field. Fingers also crossed no one accidentally wanders into the mining zone and falls into a pit or flattened by haul truck out there. We’re not sure everyone knows the road sign for “Do Not Enter.” Or reads Cyrillic, for that matter.
Retirees Jane Boxhall and Julia Fisher left UB this morning to join Hustler Erik in the Bloodwagon. Unfortunately, Clare Salmon retired this morning with an injured ankle; her husband Neil Goldie-Scot is accompanying her.
16:27. Christ, we are seeing some speedy changeovers today. It's not just the frontrunners trying to blaze through the stations, mid-pack are picking it up as well. Must be the Naughty Corner, Penalty Urtuu U11 that's motivating everyone. Reckon some riders have spent enough time on their arses in a ger today to suit them for the next few days. Time to leg it.
12:35. Two retirements first thing at U7 this morning, married couple CS and NG. All campers' horses stayed put on their hillsides last night, riders unmolested (here’s CW hobbling brilliantly in the dark). Weather much improved, smashing start to the day, but those at the top of the Naughty List will be having a good long think at the first Penalty Urtuu, U11. Doubtful anyone’s been able to sneak a paperback into their 5kgs of gear. That just leaves gnawing mutton fat and watching better-behaved competitors sail through. Meanwhile JM holding lead, EF MP split up, distances among them widening...
Derbying at its absolute finest. Footage of Leslie Wylie (35, USA) riding stirrupless yesterday. For 40km. On half-wild horse. Bad. Ass.
SULTAN Mizan Zainal Abidin is the biggest omission from the 844-strong national Sea Games contingent, Malaysia’s largest ever, which was finalised yesterday.
The Terengganu ruler graciously withdrew due to his horse being deemed unfit to compete in the equestrian endurance event on Aug 20 at the Terengganu International Endurance Park in Lembah Bidong.
“Tuanku Mizan withdrew in the best interest of the endurance team as His Highness felt his horse was not ready and would not do justice to the team,” said Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) secretary-general Datuk Low Beng Choo.
“It was very gracious of His Highness, who very much wanted to compete in the Sea Games and had been training hard every day...”
A champion horse rider is heading overseas to put her talents of endurance to the test.
Tess Wells, of Renwick, will represent Equestrian Sport New Zealand (ESNZ) in Queensland, Australia, when she takes part in one of ridings fastest growing sports.
The South Island champion will tackle the Trans-Tasman endurance team event for the first time where she will compete in a 100-kilometre race.
This follows a productive couple of months in the United States last year where Tess says she learned some "valuable training skills."
he former Marlborough Girls' College student keeps two horses, Barney and Buddy, at her parents' Okaramio farm.
She got Barney, 13, when he was 3-years-old and the pair have competed together ever since Tess started endurance racing about four years ago...
12:15. No dramas this morning rider-side, though a film crew vehicle needed rescuing from a bog. Its rescuer then in turn required rescuing (standard). Horses fresh and seemingly behaving—or maybe Derbyists have learnt to clamp on a bit tighter. The pack of 20 that camped together at U5 is gradually spreading out; Day 3 usually sees the field widen and the ‘Racing’ group pull away from the ‘Adventure’ group. Start arguing amongst yourselves on who belongs in which category (then watch them muck up all predictions by end of day).
15:30. Bit more action this afternoon. Star riders from yesterday LW and RP each lost horse during kit adjustment but soldiering on, LW sans gear—including stirrups. RP lost bridle, bought new one off a herder. Resourceful. Frontrunners EF and MP have their first penalties, elevated heart rates. They’ll serve time at next stop, U11. Not likely enough time for anyone to overtake, though BA a leg away with a spotless record. Above, AK with her U6 pick while GK advises “You better stay on this one!”
18:15. Balls. We’ve jinxed BA, looks like, as he’ll now have two hours at the Penalty Urtuu for elevated heart rate. EF and MP will be long gone, as they’re nearly halfway through their sentence at U11 now and likely hold the lead this evening (barring mutant racehorses. Not unheard of in this country). Further back in the field, it looks like another ger cuddle puddle could be in order for the evening, with 17 riders thundering along in vicinity of each other. Keep those vets on their toes, lads.
Rider Call Signs
You might catch us using abbreviated rider call signs on the Twitter and blog. Here's how you know who's who
RIDER CALL SIGNS:
• Annette Kriller - AK
• Amanda Charlton Herbert -AC
• Barry Armitage -BA
• Ceri Putman - CP
• Charlotte Wills - CW
• Christine Sarah Arndt - CA
• Clare Salmon - CS
• Cy Lloyd-Jones - CL
• Ed Fernon - EF
• Emma Manthorpe - EM
• Greg Chant - GC
• Hanna Schumacher - HS
• Jakkie Mellet - JM
• Jane Boxhall - JB
• James Lester - JL
• Jennifer Cook - JC
• Jodie Ward - JW
• Julia Fisher - JF
• Leslie Wylie - LW
• Louisa Ball - LB
• Lucy Taylor - LT
• Margaret Clare Summers - MS
• Marianne Williams - MW
• Marie Palzer - MP
• Mark Bauwens - MB
• Neil Goldie-Scot - NG
• Olivia (Liv) Wood - OW
• Paul Richards - PR
• Pierre Germain - PG
• Rebecca Hewitt - RHW
• Rebecca Pumphrey - RP
• Rick Helson - RHL
• Roberta (Bobby) Friend - BF
• Roberta McLeod - RM
• Rachel Land - RL
• Sally Toye - ST
• Suzann Holmqvist - SH
• Taylor Dolak - TD
• Taylor Williams*(B.Warton) - BW
• Victoria Twelves - VT
• William Comiskey - WC
• Warren Sutton - WS
•
Aug 9, 2017
Two time Mongol Derby Alumni Devan Horn joins Glenn for a special 8pm Facebook Live wrap up of Day One of the Mongol Derby. And our own Leslie leads after Day 1! Listen in...
Horseinthemorning.com - Listen in
