Riders prepare for 'pure madness' of the world's toughest horse races
Preparing for “pure madness” in the saddle is a dream come true for Queenslander Sarah Carroll, who will take the reins in the world’s toughest and longest horse race. Carroll is one of only 40 riders selected from around the world to take part in next month’s Mongolian Derby. Riders will find their way through 1,000 kilometers of Mongolian steppes while changing horses every 40 kilometers. “The premise is probably pure madness and not for the faint of heart because only about 50 percent make it to the finish line,” Carroll said. Riders start together as they travel 1,000. ( Provided: Richard Dunwoody ) “I have a motto from Mike Tyson which is ‘everyone has a plan until they get a punch in the face’ so you can prepare as much as you want but you don’t know what will happen.” The annual adventure race follows the world’s first long-distance postal transmission route, established by Genghis Khan in 1224. “You get to ride a semi-wild horse donated by a local herding family and as the ri