This is the 8th Mongol Derby, featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest and toughest horse race. The 2016 race features 20 men and 21 women from 13 countries riding 1000km across Mongolia on semi-wild horses.
As well as serious riders from the worlds of eventing, show-jumping, endurance, racing, dressage, polo and rodeo, the 2016 line-up includes a family team, cancer survivors and those who have learned to ride specifically to take part. Some are in it to win it and some are in just because they can. Some are even coming back to finish it having not done so the first time around.
As usual, we’re in for a ride…
2016 Competitors
AUSTRALIA
Chase Becker, 20, Queensland, Australia
Pre-medical nursing and midwifery student. Aspiring Neonatal Cardiothoracic Surgeon and horse enthusiast who loves to travel the world and wants her own hardy adventure: Mongol Derby, here she comes!
Mike Becker, 53, Queensland, Australia
Owner, Chief Pilot and Chief Flight Instructor of Becker Helicopters is taking time off with his daughter Chase to ride a horse across Mongolia. Enthusiastic about raising money for his charities of choice, Cherish, Midwife Vision and Cool Earth, Mike is putting to his mind to the task and get his 53-year-old bum onto a tiny Mongolian pony! What is he thinking?!
Camille Champagne Bargenquast, 29, Richmond, Australia
World class endurance rider, specialises in natural horsemanship and trains wild horses for a living. Lives and works on a cattle station in the outback.
William Comiskey, 28, Long Reach, Australia
Grew up on a cattle station in Queensland where he learnt to ride competing in rodeo, show-jumping and eventing. Now runs cattle. Is doing the Derby to give himself a physical and mental challenge and raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and The Heart Foundation
Cochetta Crowley, 46, San Jose, USA (Australian)
Born in outback Australia to a large and very happy family of seven children and rode from the time she could walk. Being true to her Australian roots, she put her swag on my back and travelled the world leading to an executive career in Silicon Valley. Wants to use the ‘journey’ “to help save horses from slaughter, and the ancestors of the horses I dearly love today – the Mongolian ponies will guide me on that journey.”
“Not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither” (J.R.R Tolkien)
Shannon Nott, 30, Dubbo, Australia
Aussie doctor born in the bush with a zest for adventure and pushing himself. Riding to raise funds to run mental health programs through Batyr for rural youth in Australia.
CANADA
Heidi Telstad, 43 Langley, British Colombia, Canada
“Reserved, boring and aging” corporate lawyer in need of a life altering experience with a purpose as raising awareness for her five-year old nephew Chase who has endured severe epilepsy since he was born. Charity is BC Epilepsy Society.
DENMARK
Anna Christina De Jonquieres, 24, Denmark
Danish law student (and show-jumper) who made it halfway through the Mongol Derby in 2014, and is returning determined to cross the finish line! Go girl!
GERMANY
See Hanna Backstrom, 1978, Uppsala, Sweden (and Wiesbaden, Germany)
IRELAND
Peter Molony, 48, Ireland
Son of multiple Champion jockey Martin Molony, Peter works in thoroughbred bloodstock, owns Rathmore Stud in County Limerick and is the Irish representative for Qatar Racing & Qatar Bloodstock.
MEXICO
Francisco (aka Franz) Schnaas, 40, Mexico City, Mexico
Entrepreneur and manager in the loyalty-travel-tech space. His tribe include his wife, son, daughter, two dogs and three mares. His passions: nature and adventure. Why do the MD16? Because he’s trying to be true to his all-time favourite quote: “If you’re not living on the edge, you’re using too much space.”
NETHERLANDS
Babs Kettelaar, 47, Ermelo, Netherlands
This supermom without a cape stops at nothing to pursue a fulfilled life. Passionate about art, horses and family she takes life by the balls and goes for it! This original dutch blonde has so much willpower even cancer won’t get to her!
Josefine Schopman, 31, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Has been dreaming of the Derby since she first heard of it in 2010. Now she is participating. “It is never too late to live your dream!”
NEW ZEALAND
Krista Donnelly, 25, Hastings, NZ
A paediatric nurse who loves the outdoors and has a reasonable horsey obsession. Raising money for CureKids.
Gareth Jones, 45, NZ (lives in Ireland)
Riding came late to Gareth who was introduced to hunting by fellow rider, David Redvers, and to racehorses by his father-in-law John Brassil. Gareth works abroad most of the year but has been training hard in Serbia to get himself race fit.
UK
Tom Alden, 25, Norwich, UK
From an equine family, has ridden horses of different shapes and sizes since he was three years old. Having joined the Army in 2013, he has served at the Mounted Regiment for three years and is one of only a few qualified riding instructors. Having competed in dressage for many years, he is looking forward to trying a totally new style of riding – has never been long distance so this will be a baptism of fire!
Rosie Bathurst, 24, Cirencester, UK
Freelance publicist/ski instructor/lacrosse-playing eventer who has dreamt of riding in the Derby since reading; “Advice for riders signing up for the Derby? Don’t.” Finishing in one piece and living a once in a lifetime experience are what she’s looking forward to most…
Sebastian Bridger, 23, UK
Last minute recruit to the Household Cavalry team….
Chips Broughton, 43, Suffolk, UK
Just retired from the army after an illustrious career in the Grenadier Guards as Lieutenant Colonel and CO of the 1st Battalion. Now directs a risk management consultancy. Extensive experience starting and working with racehorses, in UK, US and NZ.
Kevin Darley, 56, Yorkshire, UK
Kevin rode as a professional jockey for three decades, was champion flat jockey in 2000 and rode 2431 winners. After retirement, he became CEO of the Professional Jockeys Association before taking up the role as International Representative for Qatar Racing. He heads to Mongolia to raise funds for the Injured Jockeys Fund.
James Harbord, 27, Wiltshire, UK
One horse-mad sister meant that James grew up being taken to Pony Club events having not been trusted sufficiently to be left at home alone. Then spent a relatively ‘horse-free’ life until, after joining the Army post-University and spending three years with tanks, was formally introduced to “Lincoln”, a horse that promptly broke his shoulder-blade after just two weeks. Now in the Household Cavalry and comfortable around 16.2 ‘Cavalry Blacks’, the ponies of the Mongolian Steppe will be a shock to his system.
Alexandra Hardham, 27, London, UK
Works and lives in London now but grew up on a sheep farm. Heard about this from a friend and immediately fell in love with the idea and had to go. “It will be tough for sure and I have no idea whether I am up to it but there is only one way to find out.”
Tatiana Mountbatten, 26, London, UK
Professional dressage rider (“not that dressage will help much during the Derby!”). Sufferer of wanderlust. Rode before she could walk. Riding with Venetia Phillips for Running for Rangers, to raise money for the welfare of African rangers who risk their lives daily to protect elephants and rhino in Africa.
Alice Newling, 28, Wisbech, Cambs, UK
Hopefully will have just graduated from Kingston University. Eventer turned student who is fast regretting never doing the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Will be spotted riding in a duvet as is permanently cold.
Venetia Phillips, 28, Herts, UK
Lives and works breeding safari horses in Kenya after having always dreamed of working there and always been passionate about both wildlife and the poaching crisis. Met her team mate Tatiana Mountbatten on a safari four years ago “where we got a bit lost, rode in the midday sun 36 degrees + on the return back to camp lost all the horses we were leading due to a giraffe herd charging into us”. Loves adventure, loves adrenalin, loves challenges and is “looking forward to new landscapes and doing it from the back of a horse.”
David Redvers, 46, Hartpury, UK
David is one of the country’s leading bloodstock agents, the racing and bloodstock adviser to Qatar Racing and Qatar Bloodstock and the manager of Tweenhills Farm and Stud in Gloucestershire. David is also a regular on the hunting field.
Anthony Strange, 22, Cumbria, UK
Has been riding horses for 10 years and started off riding Cumbrian Heavy Horses. It was around the age of 12 that he started to study horses and where his interest began. Has completed theory and practical qualifications and, like his team mate, Tom Alden, is one of the junior riding instructors within the Household Cavalry Regiment. He is “most looking forward to going to see the different riding cultures and for the sense of personal achievement.”
Urbain Tego Tagne, 27, UK
Born and raised in Yaounde in Cameroon, has three degrees from Universities in Cameroon and the UK and had never been on a horse before he joined the Household Cavalry. When he first started riding he was scared of horses. Has never been on an endurance ride and is looking forward to seeing a life in an environment he “knows nothing about as well as the hours on the saddle which I guess it’s a lot different from driving on a motorway.”
USA
Pierce Buckingham, 32, Aiken, South Carolina
Is excited to be competing in the Mongol Derby. Has always wanted to experience Mongolia and there seems like no better way than this race! “This is as much of an amazing adventure as it is a soul-searching endeavour.”
Loden Burton, 36, Nashville, USA
After being struck by the famous steppe gastro lurgy in the 2014 Mongol Derby, for which he can’t quite forgive himself, Loden is returning to finish the job a month after he gets married “even if I lose a limb”.
Adam Casey, 29, Washington, D.C. (From St. Louis, MO)
U.S. Marine Infantry Officer, advanced Stage-IV cancer survivor, former college football player for the University of Missouri, avid skydiver and hopeless romantic, with an insatiable appetite for anything that could be his own demise. “The dangerous yet beautiful thing about broken people is that they know they can survive.”
Tim Finley, 36, Chapman, USA
Air Force TACP officer riding in honour of warriors battling PTSD/suicide/mental injury. Endurance rider, mountaineer, race car driver, survivalist, novelist, decorated American elite. Surplus will be donated to a select Equine-Assisted Therapy program for military members struggling with PTSD/suicide/mental injury.
Marie Griffis, 42 Manhattan, Montana, USA
A country girl who grew up riding horses without a formal equine education. This race is her way of competing in the horse world; yet this adventure is “for me, a way to test my horsemanship and outdoor skills in the fabulous arena of Mongolia.”
Dr. Kelly T Hale, 55, Austin, Texas & Red Lodge, Montana
They say everything’s bigger in Texas and that’s why this Texan’s lifelong mantra is, “Go big or go home.” Whether he’s competing at the National Reining Horse Association Futurity Finals, swinging his mallet on the polo field, breaking wild mustangs or leading fox hunts in the wild west, Kelly Hale is on top of his game when he’s on top of a horse. This lifelong equestrian recently pulled up his Texas roots and replanted in the wide-open spaces of Montana, the American state known for big sky views and ponies that roam free. Only Texas and Montana can contain this 100% red-blooded American cowboy. #halerider #hale4leather
Marcia Hefker-Miles, 45, Raton, New Mexico, USA
Born & raised a New Mexico cowgirl, she’s been a ranch hand, barrel racer and team roper. When not riding, and sometimes winning, 100-mile endurance races, this nurse practitioner doctors cowboys at her bustling medical practice nestled against the Rocky Mountains.
Courtney Kizer, 29, Texas, USA
Long time showjumper, rider of wayward horses from Texas to Colorado, Architect, and traveler with insatiable wanderlust. Aims to win, but only if it is in the cards while experiencing Mongolia, treating every horse fairly and raising money for the Mongolian Women’s Fund.
Madison Smith, 26, California, USA
Madison started riding when she was six and never stopped. She is a hunter/jumper rider but her love for horses goes far beyond the show ring. Madison attends art school in San Francisco and when she isn’t in class or on a horse she’s typically exploring a new place, camera in hand.
Julie Stewart, 33, Washington DC, USA
Paediatric intensive care nurse and a graduate student in medical anthropology. When not working and writing her thesis she can be found eventing, doing ashtanga yoga, wandering, and drinking gin and tonics with thoughtful people as she tries to figure out how to be a good human in the world. Raising money for MSF.
SWEDEN
Hanna Backstrom, 1978, Uppsala, Sweden (and Wiesbaden, Germany)
Multi-disciplined rider and outdoors girl who has tried her hand at most things, including martial arts.
Carin Ostergren, 33, Stockholm, Sweden
Adrenaline junkie always up for an adventure. Riding to raise money for her own charity Rise-Up that runs orphanages in Nepal.
Sara Pickthall, 38, Stockholm,Sweden
Riding with her friend Carin Östergren. Re-saddled from riding horse powers on a daily basis to drive them instead as a HGV driver. Had a gap year blowing up mountains as the first female Scandinavia within laddaservice. Very passionate about horses and loves a good challenge.
Find out more here.
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