A British rider has won the world’s “longest and toughest” race.
Annabel Neasham, from Oxfordshire, was the joint winner of the 2018 Mongol Derby.
The 27-year-old crossed the finish line alongside Australia’s Adrian Corby at 1.25pm on 15 August.
The pair completed the race in just over six days, facing monsoon rain, fog, heat and floods.
“People say when they finish, they could easily do another 1,000km, well…I think I’m good with this,” said Annabel, who has evented up to two-star level and now works as racing manager to Ciaron Maher in Melbourne.
Adrian was a last-minute entry to the race, stepping in at the last minute to take Ciaron’s place.
“We’ve seen great horsemanship from both [as well as] clear vet cards,” said a spokesman for the Mongol Derby.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“At every station Adrian carried both saddles in giving the horses a break while Annabel dumped the remains of their hydration packs on their horses to cool them down.”
Article continues below…
You might also be interested in:
(Image credit: Laurence Squire @ Mongol Derby 2018)
With this year's Mongol Derby starting today (9 August 2017) get up to speed on the facts and figures about
A total of 43 riders started the race on 6 August and the majority of riders are expected to finish either on or before 17 August.
The route recreates the world’s first long-distance postal transmission system, set up by Chinggis Khaan in 1224.
Riders cross the Mongolian steppe on semi-wild horses and change steeds every 40km.
There is no marked course and horses are inspected by vets at each of the 25 stations en route to ensure they have been well treated.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
