Willemein Jooste has been crowned one of the winners of the Mongol Derby 2022; she finished the race alongside USA rider Deirdre Griffith.
Mongolia (01 August 2022) – The Mongol Derby was inspired by the days of Genghis Khan, when horse messengers would ride for thousands of kilometres without stopping. They would change up their horses every 40 kilometres and continue until they reached their destination. The horses in this race are semi-feral, which makes it very challenging to complete the race.
The Mongol Derby is the longest and toughest horse race on earth, made up of a 1000km journey across the Mongolian steppe. At the heart of the Mongol Derby is the horse station system, called Urtuus in Mongolian.
The event was launched in 2009 and is known as the Mongol Derby. Participants are mounted on a series of native Mongolian horses, which are sacred in the enduring Mongolian nomadic culture. They eat and rest with nomadic families along the way, so experiencing Mongolia as it would have appeared in the time of the Great Empire. Riders change horses every 35kms so that the horses are never pushed to their physical limits.
The challenge was an epic one, and South Africa’s Willemein Jooste was one of two women that finished the race in first place! Willemein was joined by USA rider Deirdre Griffith as they crossed the finish line together.
“We have our WINNERS of the July 2022 Edition of the ‘World’s Longest & Toughest’ horse race!
Willemein Jooste from South Africa and Deirdre Griffith from the USA are the winners.
It was a VERY close race, but they managed to catch and pass Chris Walker from the United Kingdom and Patrick Heffron from Ireland. Both incredible horseman who held the lead for much of the last part of the race.
Everyone join us in wishing these two epic horse women congratulations.”
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