Mongol Derby 2026 – Race Day 1 – A Gentle Introduction

Equestrianists.com - Full Story

By Candice Sparre ·
5 August 2026

The waiting is over. Forty-three riders have officially launched themselves into the Mongolian steppe, swapping the comforts of Start Camp for semi-wild horses, split-second decisions and 1,000 kilometres of adventure.

Race Director Tom Morgan once again risked life and limb standing in front of 43 nervous riders and equally enthusiastic horses for the traditional countdown. Tom survived his annual game of Derby chicken and, in the blink of an eye, the field disappeared into the Mongolian steppe.

Behind him, however, the real story of Day 1 quickly became the Mongolian horse lottery.

Some riders struck gold. Others... drew absolute dragons...

Read more here:
https://equestrianists.com/mongol-derby-2026-race-day-1-a-gentle-introduction

Mongol Derby 2026 - Start Camp Day 3 - The Final Countdown

Equestrianists.com - Full Article

By Candice Sparre ·
3 August 2026

Just like that, Start Camp is over.

Two full days of briefings, training rides and getting acquainted with semi-wild Mongolian horses have come to an end, and we're satisfied our 2026 cohort of Derby hopefuls are as prepared as they can be for what's waiting beyond the start line. The maps have been marked, the saddlebags packed, and tomorrow there's only one thing left to do: point 43 riders towards the horizon and let the adventure begin.

The final morning at Start Camp focused on turning information into confidence.

First up was a detailed run through of this year's course. While riders are entirely responsible for navigating themselves between horse stations, we don't send them out completely blind. They were guided through each leg of the route, shown compulsory waypoints, horse watering locations and areas requiring a little extra thought before setting off on their own tomorrow. Maps quickly disappeared beneath a sea of scribbled notes, highlighted routes and last-minute reminders...

Read more here:
https://equestrianists.com/the-final-countdown

Mongol Derby 2026 - Start Camp Day 2 - Bucks, Braids and Batteries

Equestrianists.com - Full Article

By Candice Sparre ·
3 August 2026

The first full day at Start Camp arrived with cool air, clear skies and a suspicious amount of peace and quiet. While riders surfaced from their gers for breakfast, Mongolian Horse Managers Munkh-Erdene, Enkhmunkh and Davaadorj had already disappeared onto the steppe to gather the morning's training horses.

Unlike many horses around the world, Mongolian horses don't spend the night waiting politely in stables. They roam freely across vast family herds, so each morning the horse managers ride out to collect them. One or two trusted horses are left hobbled near camp for exactly that purpose, and before long a line of sturdy, semi-wild horses was making its way back towards Start Camp, ready to size up this year's riders.

Before anyone swung a leg over a Mongolian horse, there were a few essentials to cover first...

Read more here:
https://equestrianists.com/mongol-derby-2026-start-camp-day-2-bucks-braids-and-batteries-

Mongol Derby 2026 - Start Camp Day 1 - The Adventure Gets Real

Equestrianists.com - Full Article

By The Equestrianists ·
2 August 2026

Hello, Derby fans.

Well… this is it.

After months and for many riders, years of dreaming, training, fundraising, second-guessing themselves and explaining to confused friends why voluntarily riding 1,000km across Mongolia on semi-wild horses seemed like a sensible life choice, the 2026 Mongol Derby has officially begun.

Not the racing (don’t get ahead of yourselves), but the part where everything suddenly becomes very, very real.

Today, our 43 riders left the comforts of Ulaanbaatar behind and boarded the infamous bus to Start Camp. Six hours later, with questionable circulation, rapidly diminishing phone signal and excitement levels through the roof, they rolled into the Mongolian steppe for the first time.

There is no turning back now...

Read more here:
https://equestrianists.com/start-camp-day-1-the-adventure-gets-real

Mongol Derby 2026 – Rider rollcall

Equestrianists,com - Full Article

Hello, Derby fans.

We meet again. At long last, the wait is over. It's been an agonisingly slow year since our 2025 Mongol Derby riders galloped across the finish line somewhere in the Mongolian wilds – and barely five months since the Gaucho Derby threw us another ten days of Patagonian chaos for good measure. But never fear: the Derby drought is almost over. In just under a week's time, on Wednesday 5 August 2026, the start flag will go down on the 15th official Mongol Derby and we'll all be saved from existential boredom by another 10 days of thrills, spills and highly questionable life choices aboard semi-wild horses.

Check out this years rider list here

While the crew are busy scrubbing tack, charging GPS trackers and herding up champion racehorses from across the land, riders are beginning to descend on Ulaanbaatar. Months – if not years – of careful preparation are about to be put to the test in the longest and toughest horse race on the planet. Over 1,000km of self-navigated racing across the untamed Mongolian steppe, atop just marginally more tame horses.

As these intrepid adventurers wing their way to start camp from far flung corners of the globe laden with copious quantities of anti-chafing cream, you may be asking yourself: just what kind of screw must you have loose to take on this monumental equine adventure?...

Read more here:
https://equestrianists.com/updates/mongol-derby-2026-rider-rollcall

Butheeb (UAE) selected as replacement host for the FEI Endurance World Championship 2026

Inside.FEI.org

29 July 2026
Author: FEI Communications

The world-renowned Butheeb International Endurance Village (BIEV) has been selected to host the FEI Endurance World Championship 2026, following a decision by the FEI Board during its teleconference on 28 July 2026. This will be the second time the venue hosts a World Championship, having successfully staged the 2022 edition.

The decision follows the FEI Board’s decision on 1 July to withdraw the Championship from AlUla (KSA) and re-open the bid process.

The Championship will take place in Butheeb, located approximately one hour from Abu Dhabi city centre, from 14 to 20 December, with the Championship ride scheduled for 19 December 2026.

“We are very pleased with the decision to award the FEI Endurance World Championship 2026 to Butheeb,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“The Butheeb bid was one of four very strong bids received when we re-opened the process. The fact that four Organisers put themselves forward as potential hosts demonstrates the solidarity within the Endurance community and a shared commitment to ensuring there would be a FEI Endurance World Championship in 2026. The Butheeb Organising Committee has a proven track record of hosting events of this calibre, and we have very fond memories of the outstanding FEI Endurance World Championship 2022 held at the venue.

“In taking its decision, the Board considered all relevant factors, in particular the safety and security of human and equine athletes. The Organiser submitted not only a detailed plan covering all sporting aspects of the Championship, but also a comprehensive logistics outline, including the costs of transportation and accommodation of horses and delegations, as well as contingency plans to ensure the event is accessible to all eligible National Federations and their athletes. The Board was therefore satisfied that all the necessary conditions will be in place for a safe and successful Championship.

“We are extremely grateful to the Organising Committee and the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation for their continued support of the Endurance discipline, and we are confident that the 2026 Championship will be an outstanding event.”

Since 2004, the BIEV has hosted around 180 FEI and 361 National Endurance events.

The venue has earned global recognition for its modern, well-equipped veterinary clinic, which features digital X-ray, ultrasonography and other diagnostic services, as well as highly qualified veterinarians and laboratory technicians. Located close to the Central Vet Gates and the Holding Area, the clinic includes examination areas, stables for in-patient treatment, and observation and administrative facilities.

The course, which passes through a forestry reserve, combines desert sand terrain, natural tracks and gently undulating sections. The BIEV is known for producing technical rides that prioritise horse welfare, in line with its mission to deliver exceptional international endurance events that celebrate sporting excellence, place horse welfare at the heart of every decision, embrace innovation and sustainability, and create unforgettable experiences for athletes, officials, spectators and partners.

China Equestrian endurance riding competition opens in north China county

BastillePost.com - Full Article

2026-07-19

China's 2026 Equestrian Endurance Riding Competition opened in Fengning Manchu Autonomous County, north China's Hebei Province on Saturday, bringing together professional riders and equestrian enthusiasts from across the country while boosting summer tourism on the grasslands.

More than 200 riders from dozens of equestrian clubs nationwide competed in the 40-km and 80-km endurance races at the Tianma Flight Town (meaning "heavenly horse flying") on the Bashang Grassland, where vast grasslands and summer temperatures averaging around 20 degrees Celsius have made it a popular destination for horse riding and summer getaways...

Read more here:
https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/6020755-equestrian-endurance-riding-competition-opens-in-north-china-county