Kiwi saddles up to ride in Mongol Derby

Taranaki Daily News

RACE OF HER LIFE: Netta Burnside, 37, on her champion show mount Royal Chancellor, will ride in the 1000km Mongol Derby in August. She will ride Mongolian horses and hopes to complete the race in seven to nine days.

Relevant offers

A Taranaki mother of two will head for the Mongolian steppes in August to tackle the world's longest horse race.

Netta Burnside, 37, will line up alongside 34 other riders from all corners of the globe for the 1000-kilometre long Mongol Derby, which follows the postal trail established by the legendary Genghis Khan in the 13th century.

"The first race was last year and I have only just heard I made this year's field," the Waitara sales manager said.

It was not just a matter of entering and turning up. She had to write an article explaining why she should be included.

"I wrote I had led a life of utter self-indulgence and it was about time I got off my backside and did something. One of the organisers in the UK rang to say that did it for him."

After seeing footage of the inaugural derby, she quit her 30-a-day smoking habit and corked her daily bottle of wine.

"Before that I could never have represented New Zealand unless they made drinking wine and talking bollocks a national sport. Then I'd win."

A race weight restriction of 80kg was another motivating factor but she is well under that now at 56kg.

The limit is to protect the Mongolian breed, which is smaller than the Western horses she is used to. "They look like a cross between a donkey and a yak and have eight different gaits compared to the four ours have."

Her husband, Gordon, owned one when he lived in the Philippines.

"When they break into a trot their steps are so short it's like riding a jackhammer," he said. "You can't rise to the trot because they are too quick so you ride everywhere standing up."

Getting accustomed to that style and coping with the wildlife are Mrs Burnside's only fears.

"The ponies are like homing pigeons. If you take a spill they're off home, whoosh. And there are rabid wolves everywhere," she said.

The start date of August 7 from Kharkorin is preceded by three days of induction.

"We will have basic veterinary training because we have to be able to look after the horses if anything goes wrong. If you go 20kms and the horse goes lame you have to get off and walk to the next station."

During the derby, horses are exchanged at "stations", which are placed at 40km intervals, just as in the days of Genghis Khan. "Last year's winner was a Mongolian who did it in seven days. To do that you have to cover about 142km a day and you are only allowed to ride for a maximum of 14 hours ... Hopefully I can do it in seven to nine days."

Each rider was responsible for their own food and sleeping gear but the locals often provided food and a place to stay last year.

"I'm basically vegetarian but might have to break the code for a few feeds of mutton and goat eyeballs," she said.

- © Fairfax NZ News