Strong & Crazy Mongol Derby
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The Mongol Derby is the longest and toughest horse race in the world. An annual event, that spans 1000km and recreates Chinggis Khaan's legendary empire-busting postal system, with riders changing horses every 40km, and living with herders or camping under the stars.
Each year around 40 professional, semi-pro and enthusiastic amateur riders compete against each other for the derby crown. To stand a chance of finishing riders must balance survival skills and horsemanship and to stand a chance of winning, an extra level of determination and no small amount of luck is required. Clare and Rachel are up for the challenge. Together, their team Strong and Crazy is poised to compete.
Clare Summers has been competing for 20 years and has accumulated over 10,000 competition miles in the process. She has completed some of the most prestigious rides in North America such as the Western States Trail (Tevis), the Old Dominion 100, and countless others. Clare is the only rider in AERC history to have successfully completed all three events at the Arabian Horse National Championship in 2015. Clare and her husband live in Pendleton, SC. She has three children and two grandchildren.
Rachel Land started in the world of Endurance Racing January ’16. The sport has quickly become her passion. In her rookie year as an endurance racer she has ridden, completed and even placed Top 10. Although she is new to the sport of Endurance Racing, she is not new to horsemanship. Horseback at the age of two, training and showing grew from a hobby to a passion. She showed Saddlebreds and won the Junior Exhibitor 5 Gaited National Championship as well as a second place at the World’s Championship in Louisville. At one point Rachel performed at the Dixie Stampede, racing ostriches, performing on horseback and learning to trick ride. Rachel lives in Easley, SC is married and has four children under the age of nine.
These two women have teamed up and set their sights on their biggest challenge yet, the Mongol Derby. According to the Guinness Book of World Records it is the longest horse race in the world. They will race astride semi-feral Mongolian ponies, and every 25-30 miles they will have a vet check, and once the horses they rode pass they choose a new pony and continue on to the next horse station. Racing is only allowed from 7am to 8:30pm. Serious time penalties are given if your horse does not pass the vet checks or if you choose to race during unauthorized times. There is no marked trail on the Mongolian steppe, so the team will have to navigate their way to the finish line using over 2,000 waypoints programmed into their GPS units they will be carrying for the journey. The team has the choice of sleeping at one of the Urtuus along the way or, if they want to make the best time possible, they can sleep out in the open on the steppe. If they are lucky they may even come across a local family that will agree to allow them to stay the night in their own home. Over the year during the month of August, the Mongolians have come to expect a knock on their door to find a rider in technical gear asking for shelter for the night. The Mongolian people are known for their hospitality, for out on the steppe it is a harsh environment. Wild wolves, marmot holes, 95 degree days, and 40 degree nights and snowstorms are the kind of challenges the team expects to encounter while racing. Each rider is only allowed to carry 11 pounds of gear, in addition to water, during the race which makes it all the more challenging.
Clare and Rachel are seeking sponsors to provide funds and the necessary gear to get them through the race. If you are open to discussing endorsement or even able to sponsor them or have any questions please connect at WWW.STRONGANDCRAZY.COM
These are the kind of horses being rounded up for us to race.
Each year around 40 professional, semi-pro and enthusiastic amateur riders compete against each other for the derby crown. To stand a chance of finishing riders must balance survival skills and horsemanship and to stand a chance of winning, an extra level of determination and no small amount of luck is required. Clare and Rachel are up for the challenge. Together, their team Strong and Crazy is poised to compete.Clare Summers has been competing for 20 years and has accumulated over 10,000 competition miles in the process. She has completed some of the most prestigious rides in North America such as the Western States Trail (Tevis), the Old Dominion 100, and countless others. Clare is the only rider in AERC history to have successfully completed all three events at the Arabian Horse National Championship in 2015. Clare and her husband live in Pendleton, SC. She has three children and two grandchildren.
Rachel Land started in the world of Endurance Racing January ’16. The sport has quickly become her passion. In her rookie year as an endurance racer she has ridden, completed and even placed Top 10. Although she is new to the sport of Endurance Racing, she is not new to horsemanship. Horseback at the age of two, training and showing grew from a hobby to a passion. She showed Saddlebreds and won the Junior Exhibitor 5 Gaited National Championship as well as a second place at the World’s Championship in Louisville. At one point Rachel performed at the Dixie Stampede, racing ostriches, performing on horseback and learning to trick ride. Rachel lives in Easley, SC is married and has four children under the age of nine.
These two women have teamed up and set their sights on their biggest challenge yet, the Mongol Derby. According to the Guinness Book of World Records it is the longest horse race in the world. They will race astride semi-feral Mongolian ponies, and every 25-30 miles they will have a vet check, and once the horses they rode pass they choose a new pony and continue on to the next horse station. Racing is only allowed from 7am to 8:30pm. Serious time penalties are given if your horse does not pass the vet checks or if you choose to race during unauthorized times. There is no marked trail on the Mongolian steppe, so the team will have to navigate their way to the finish line using over 2,000 waypoints programmed into their GPS units they will be carrying for the journey. The team has the choice of sleeping at one of the Urtuus along the way or, if they want to make the best time possible, they can sleep out in the open on the steppe. If they are lucky they may even come across a local family that will agree to allow them to stay the night in their own home. Over the year during the month of August, the Mongolians have come to expect a knock on their door to find a rider in technical gear asking for shelter for the night. The Mongolian people are known for their hospitality, for out on the steppe it is a harsh environment. Wild wolves, marmot holes, 95 degree days, and 40 degree nights and snowstorms are the kind of challenges the team expects to encounter while racing. Each rider is only allowed to carry 11 pounds of gear, in addition to water, during the race which makes it all the more challenging. Clare and Rachel are seeking sponsors to provide funds and the necessary gear to get them through the race. If you are open to discussing endorsement or even able to sponsor them or have any questions please connect at WWW.STRONGANDCRAZY.COMThese are the kind of horses being rounded up for us to race.
Organizer
Strong Crazy
Organizer
Easley, SC
