2019 Mongol Derby: RACE UPDATE - day 3

Welcome to the update for day 3!

Day three is hard every year and this year, after two days of miserable weather, the race said goodbye to Rendel Rieckmann ("20 years of experience on all sorts of continents"), Jacqueline Knopfel (who had already "spent more than 10000km in the saddle at a time") and Ella Mildon ("10 years in the eventing world").  They join Sam Franklin, felled by a miserable bug on the start line & Erin Nagle ("extreme athlete") in the adventure category - they'll carry on riding, but they won't get an official finish.

You might wonder why I mention the experience these riders put down in their short autobiographies for the race.  Nope, I'm not mean or feeling smug that such experienced riders are out.  I just want to demonstrate what a serious undertaking this race is.  Having said that, don't feel sorry for them!  They are going to have a ball in the adventure class.  You don't need an official finish to win the fun trumps.

Back to the race...

The front end is seriously strong this year.  I don't feel like I can predict with any certainty who is going to finish even day 4 in the lead, let alone cross the finish line in front.  Let alone win the race.  The determination you can see in the faces of everyone at the front of the race is impressive and if the weather improves as is forecast, this close contest will presumably heat up even more.  

There are even riders sitting at 12th in the official standings who I would not rule out for the win.  Special mention, of course, to my rider of the day - Benjamin Materna, he of the flowing mane & unquestionable will to win.  His sister tells me he has always had "great hair and an adventurous heart"; she and his parents are following in New England, USA and he is providing top notch entertainment.  Especially for the ladies.  And in particular one medic ("he's lush. I'd definitely CENSORED").  I mention no names.  Except Ben hoofprintsonourhearts Dothraki Materna.

And how are the featured riders doing?

Elise Stables & Justine Hales

I am THRILLED to report that Elise & Justine are in first place!  Elise has ridden her way back to the very front of the race after her vet penalty earlier on.  Amazing riding.  These two ladies have demonstrated they have everything they need to win this race so I can only cross everything and hope that they take this small advantage and run with it. Zoom in on Justine's face (she's the rider furthest away) in this photo and tell me she can't do it.

(the other lady in this photo is Margreet Voermans - more on her in a later post...)

Saffers Ride Mongolia

No word from Vasin. I hope he has his feet up in the blood wagon, enjoying a front row seat as the action unfolds.

After the first three days of racing, where Wiesman found himself playing continual catchup to his somewhat more streamlined chum Sampie, Sampie was hit with a vet penalty.  They sit at 6th and 7th respectively though, so they're hanging on in there.  Both have ridden an impressive race so far, but I really have to take my hat off to Wiesman.  Like Elise, he has ridden back from a vet penalty and narrowly missed a second, which says to me that he rode that horse perfectly.  Even a touch more go and he would have been serving penalty number two.  Still in contention with all to play for on day 4.

Alanna Watt & Holly Rivett

Guys, guys, guys.  How much more excitement can we take?!  The #bantertwins have pulled themselves together and ridden their way up to 9th place!  Doesn't sound that impressive?  Don't forget these guys had a break from racing to sample some different vodka and throw back a few cocktail blinis yesterday. IN RUSSIA.  They're at HS9, three stations behind the leaders but they have a clear station between themselves and the back of the field and you never know... and wouldn't be brilliant to see them ride themselves back into contention as the race speeds up?

A wee note to say that Holly's stepmother is off to climb Kilimanjaro shortly to raise money for the same cause as Holly Whiteley's Retreat, providing short breaks and support for families with cancer.  It's a brilliant cause and you can donate here.

Sam Chisholm

Sam is ALSO sitting in first place.  Crazy stuff.  His mission to finish the race is turning into a pretty good shot at winning the whole darned thing.  Provided his feet don't rot off.  His photos look like he is enjoying the sort of excitement more normally found in the rodeo which moves along at the back of the race, except he's bouncing off horses and smoking fags at the front.  Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

Michael "Indiana" Field

I know Michael wanted to see some of the local flora, but whether he imagined he would get quite so up close and personal with it remains to be seen.  This excellent chap is bringing up the rear in 16th place in borrowed kit, having lost his horse and everything he brought with him but you know what, he's still in the race.  Fantastic stuff.  GO MICHAEL!!!!

He's obviously popular with the Mongolians working on the race, too - here he is politely accepting someone's snuff bottle (with his right hand, left hand on his elbow), something that is reserved for close friends, family and honoured guests.

Jesse & Sarah

These guys continue to ride quietly and seriously fast.  The herders must also think highly of Jesse; they're picking his horses and they seem to be picking crackers consistently.  Either that or it's his lucky kangaroo?  Not much news of Sarah yet, but as they both sit in joint 3rd place at the end of day 3, that's all the news we need!  Go, go, go!!!

Wildcard Frank Winters

I might have to stop referring to Frank as a wildcard, really.  I think we can now safely say he is a serious contender for the top spot sitting as he does joint third at HS12.  He's ridden at the front of the field for the whole race so far and is in a brilliant position to pick up speed as conditions improve.  I would just love this guy to win, jeans, cowboy boots, stockman's gloves and all - go Frank!  

General standings

HS12
1 Sam Chisholm, Justine Hales, Elise Stables & Sally Conway
2 Margreet Voermans
3 Jesse Byrne, Sarah Brown, Frank Winters

*in between HS11 & 12*
4 Ahmed Al-Ghirair 
5 Robert Long
Note: Ahmed & Robert seem determined to ride separate from the pack at the front.  They stopped 12kms out of HS12 with 30 minutes of riding time left, which as the race organisers suggest, can only have been a tactical decision.

HS11
6 Wiesman Nel & Julia Conway
7 Sampie Mokoakoe
8 Zsofia Homor
9 Katie Angus, Kelsey Eliot, Annette Kriller
10 Linda van Gorkum
11 Lucinda Kyle

*in between HS10 & HS11*
12 Ben "hoofprints on our hearts Dothraki" Materna & Linda Vegher

HS9
13 Holly Rivett, Alanna Watt, Naomi Crombeem

HS8
14 Catherine Kennedy, Aly van der Meulen, Anne Binnendijk, Patti Long, Francis Delaey, Taggert vin Zant, Esther Leenen, Ava Drake, HB
15 Abbi Bell, Francis Delaey, Molly Pearson, Katie Hasse
16 Michael Field