Emmelia Potts (2009 H) likes a challenge, having completed the Iron Man, Great Wall Marathon, Ulta Marathon and Redbull400 competitions to name but a few. Now, she is training to complete The Mongolian Derby 2023. This is the longest and toughest horse race in the world. Competitors race 1000 kilometres accrss the steppes of Mongolia on semi-wild horses, with an inclination to bolt, buck and rear whenever they feel like it. There is no marked-out route and it is up to the riders to navigate the wilderness of Mongolia by GPS, unaided.

Riders select their own horses at stations positioned every 35 to 40 kilometres, testing their horsemanship and ability to pick the winning horse. There are no home comforts, no beds to sleep in, showers or flushing toilets and the riders have to carry all of their water, bedding, clothing and medical provisions for ten days. If they fall off, it is a race to catch your horse and try to re-mount, or walk to the next horse stop!

Emmelia is currently in training and looking forward to the challenge. She is raising funds for Alzheimers UK and the retraining of racehorses. If you would like to follow her progress please visit her website The Adventures and if you would like to support these excellent causes, please click on this link to her Gofundme page.