Mongol Derby 2025 – Day 9 – Homeward bound

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Holly Conyers
12th August 2025

While the battle for first place in the 2025 Mongol Derby may have been decided yesterday, Day 9 saw a whopping 19 more of our intrepid riders make it home to finish camp to complete the adventure of a lifetime. While 13 of those riders were still riding for a competitive placing, we were mighty proud to welcome 6 of our Adventure Class riders across the line too. Some were even reunited with family and friends for whom following along at home wasn’t enough. There were tears, there was signing, there were bear hugs and emotional reunions. Welcome home, legends. Time to party...

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https://equestrianists.com/updates/mongol-derby-2025-day-9-homeward-bound/

Mongol Derby 2025 – Day 8 – Better together

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Holly Conyers
11th August 2025

Eight days after thundering across the 2025 Mongol Derby start line, four exceptional equestrianists have come full circle to boomerang back to finish camp. Having fought tooth and nail for the crown over the last 1,000km of high speed chasing across the steppe, they eventually elected to prioritise camaraderie over competition and crossed the line together. Behold, our 2025 Mongol Derby Joint Champions: Brit Anna Boden (ABO), American Michael Pollard (MPO) and brothers in arms from the UAE Eisa Al Khayari (EAK) and Khalifa Al Hamed (KAH). An extraordinary end to an even more extraordinary Derby. Congratulations are in order, as they celebrate at start camp tonight with a long-awaited shower, some clean clothes and a cold beer. Cheers to you, champs...

Read more here:
https://equestrianists.com/updates/mongol-derby-2025-day-8-better-together/

Mongol Derby 2025 – Day 7 – Comeback kings

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Holly Conyers
10th August 2025

Just when we thought the 2025 Mongol Derby couldn’t possibly get any more enthralling, Day 7 arrived on the scene to really crank up the drama. The weather may finally have broken to give our riders a break from the punishing heat, but the tension keeps on building. The slim glimmer of a lead eked out over his nearest rivals by Khalifa Al Hamed (KAH) yesterday has been swiftly extinguished, as he takes up residence this evening at HS25 along with three other indomitable jockeys. Anna Boden (ABO) and Michael Pollard (MPO) have teamed up to smash out a phenomenal day’s riding with some lucky draws just when they needed them, while Eisa Al Khayari (EAK) has ridden like a man possessed to – astonishingly – claw himself back up to share the lead from a 3 hour penalty. KAH, on the other hand, has been riding against the tide. All four will now line up to battle it out over the remaining four legs of the Derby course to (most likely – let’s not count any chickens) determine the victor of the 2025 Mongol Derby. Hold on to your hats, folks. This sprint finish is going right down to the wire...

Read more here:
https://equestrianists.com/updates/mongol-derby-2025-day-7-comeback-kings/

Mongol Derby 2025 – Day 6 – Riding solo

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Holly Conyers
9th August 2025

Could Day 6 of the 2025 Mongol Derby finally have seen one rider open up some daylight between himself and the rest of the field? Up until now, a determined quintet of top class horsemen (including one plucky horsewoman) have been leapfrogging each other by minutes to hand the baton around between them at every station. Trying to keep up with the constant swapsies of the lead has left us majorly dizzy. But it looks like one rider might finally have clinched something of an advantage. Khalifa Al Hamed (KAH) has absolutely flown away from his closest rivals today, to storm through four horse stations riding solo and make it safely into HS22 this evening with just 4 minutes of riding time left to spare. It’s been a masterclass in pacing and astute navigation on another scorcher of a day. He finds himself all alone for the first time, spending the night a full horse station ahead of Anna Boden (ABO) and Michael Pollard (MPO) back at HS21. But, as we’ve seen time and time again over the course of this Derby, no lead is too great to be lost. With 7 more horse stations between KAH and the finish line, can he cling on for glory or will the jockeys behind him come back from the brink? It’s far from a done deal...

Read more here:
https://equestrianists.com/updates/mongol-derby-2025-day-6-riding-solo/

Mongol Derby 2025 – Day 5 – High five

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Holly Conyers
8th August 2025

Horses and riders alike faced another scorcher out on the steppe on Day 5 of the 2025 Mongol Derby, as yesterday’s cooler climes gave way once again to cloudless skies. The heat was back on, and the pressure building. As our five leaders hit the fast, flat and mercifully straight legs between HS14 and HS18, they were thrashing it out to try to give each other the slip and establish a lead. But to no avail. It’s been a tense grapple for dominance, and nobody was ready to blink first. Until, finally, it all became too much for two riders: Dennis Alverson (DAL) and Eisa Al Khayari (EAK) fell victim to vet penalties at HS18 this evening, and will be delayed from riding out tomorrow morning. Michael Pollard (MPO), Anna Boden (ABO) and Khalifa Al Hamed (KAH) are cleared for lift off at 7AM, while DAL and EAK will be serving time behind Derby bars. KAH has a tough call to make overnight: stay loyal to his partner EAK, or go it alone and keep pace with the competition? 7AM on Day 6 could very well be a decisive moment in the showdown for the podium. Set your alarms folks: you don’t want to miss this one...

Read more here:
https://equestrianists.com/updates/mongol-derby-2025-day-5-high-five/

Mongol Derby 2025 – Day 4 – Arabian knights

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Holly Conyers
7th August 2025

As we approach the halfway marker of the 2025 Mongol Derby, the battle for the lead rages on. Odds on the final victor remain too close to call at the close of Day 4, as the riders heading up the field toss the lead around between them like the proverbial hot potato. There’s nothing in it, but one thing’s for sure: last night’s downpour did nothing to dampen our riders’ competitive drive. They continue to eat up the course at a voracious pace, and we find ourselves with some new overnight leaders. Our Emirati endurance pros Eisa Al Khayari (EAK) and Khalifa Al Hamed (KAH) have proven themselves a tough act to follow. They’re now sitting pretty at the head of the field on the way into HS14, camped 3km ahead of their nearest rivals. If they can hit HS14 in the lead tomorrow, they reach a relatively flat, straight section of the course all the way to HS18. The dream racetrack for a pair of seriously experienced jockeys gunning to extend their lead in the Mongol Derby. If they partner with the right equine athletes, could they leave the chasing pack in the dust? It could all come down to luck of the horse draw...

Read more here:
https://equestrianists.com/updates/mongol-derby-2025-day-4-arabian-knights/

Mongol Derby 2025 – Day 3 – The winds of change

Equestrianists.com - Full Article

Holly Conyers
6th August 2025

Day 3 of the 2025 Mongol Derby has been one for the books. Barely had our nerves recovered from the rollercoaster ride that was Day 2 before our horde of 45 fearless equestrianists were at it again, causing widespread mayhem on their noble quest for the finish line. As the dust settles on our sparring riders and their battle-hardened mounts, two warriors remain locked in a deadly duel at the head of the race. Kami Bitting (KBI) and Sam Phelps (SPH) have both kept up their blistering pace to make it into HS10 tonight, but a last minute plot twist has blown the rankings wide open. KBI has been left licking her wounds overnight, as a vet penalty incurred on arrival at HS10 keeps her stuck there until 10AM tomorrow morning. SPH now finds himself leading the charge out of HS10 tomorrow bright and early, but will he handle the pressure of soldiering on alone or be swallowed up by the cavalry camping out just a few kilometres behind him?...

Read more here:
https://equestrianists.com/updates/mongol-derby-2025-day-3-the-winds-of-change/