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Man versus Horse Marathon

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The Man versus Horse Marathon is an annual race over 22 miles (35 km), where runners compete against riders on horseback through a mix of road, trail and mountainous terrain.[1][2] The race, which is a shorter distance than an official marathon road race, takes place in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells every June. There are other Man versus Horse races — in Scotland based at Dores, near Loch Ness,[3] in Central North Island, New Zealand[4][5] and in Prescott, Arizona.[6][7]

History

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Competitors in the 2006 Man versus Horse Marathon

The event started in 1980,[8] when local landlord Gordon Green overheard a discussion between two men in his pub, the Neuadd Arms.[9] One man suggested that over a significant distance across country, man was equal to any horse. Green decided that the challenge should be tested in full public view, and organised the first event.

The first woman to run the race was Ann King in 1981. In 1982, the route of the course was amended slightly to give a more even match between the competitors. The course is slightly shorter than a traditional marathon at a reported 22 miles, but over rougher terrain. In 1985, cyclists were allowed to compete too – and that year, U.S. ladies' champion cyclist Jacquie Phelan narrowly lost to the first horse. In 1989, British cyclist Tim Gould beat the first horse by three minutes – the first time that a horse was beaten by a human in the race.

In 2004, the 25th race was won by Huw Lobb in 2 hours, 5 minutes and 19 seconds. It was the first time that a man racing on foot has won the race, thereby winning the prize fund of £25,000, which had been growing by £1,000 each year from the race's inception until claimed by a winning runner. The year's race also saw the highest ever number of competitors; 500 runners and 40 horses.[1] The feat was repeated in 2007, when human competitors outpaced the first equine competitor by up to 11 minutes.[10]

The 2009 race was marred by controversy when the organizers deducted time spent in the 'vet checks' from the horse times in addition to the 15 minutes for the delayed start of the horses. The deduction of this additional time enabled the horse to triumph by 8 minutes, instead of being defeated by 2. Whilst the organizers at the time claimed that the time spent in the vet check (which is not accurately monitored on a horse-by-horse basis) had always been deducted, this had not occurred in previous years.[11] The fastest runner, Martin Cox, refused to accept the winner's trophy in protest at the decision. Following protests from other competitors, the organizers reverted to the previously followed rules of only deducting 15 minutes for the 2010 edition of the race. However, despite Haggai Chepkwony running the fastest time since Huw Lobb's record-breaking effort in 2004, a horse triumphed by 10 minutes. 2011 featured a number of very good riders and horses competing, and the wet track conditions favored horses over runners, but some very good times were recorded by the front runners. The winning rider was Beti Gordon riding Next in Line at Grangeway, while the top runner was Charlie Pearson from London.

2012 saw the return of Huw Lobb, becoming the first runner to beat the horse and win the (accumulated) £25,000 prize money. His winning time was, however, considerably down on his winning time from 2004. Coming third in the Cork Marathon just five days earlier may have contributed to his running slower than perhaps he might have been able to. In 2013, extensive forestry works meant the organizers had to modify the route considerably, resulting in a course of nearly 24 miles, instead of the usual route of just under 21 miles. Despite a very hot day, the longer and hillier course favoured the horses, with 2011 winner Beti Gordon comfortably beating the first man, Hugh Aggleton.

The 2013 race attracted an entry of 65 horses, with 44 completing the course, enabling it to lay claim to being "the world's largest horse race". Following a number of criticisms of the extended course in 2013 and 2014, the course for 2015 was shortened back towards 21 miles. This provided a more even match between man and equine, with Geoffrey Allen on Leo emerging victorious by just over 10 minutes from Hugh Aggleton. It was Allen's 4th outright win, and his 5th time as first horseman, having been beaten by Florian Holzinger in 2007.

Winners

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Note that the times are not necessarily comparable from year to year due to changes of the rules and the course layout.

Year Winner Fastest horse Fastest horse time Fastest runner Fastest runner time Time difference, horse vs. runner Weather conditions Going
2023 Human Kate Atkinson on Dns Ronaldo[12] 2:34:22 Daniel Connolly[12] 2:24:38 -9:44 Sweltering Good
2022 Human Kim Alman on Invictus[13] 2:24:36 Ricky Lightfoot[13] 2:22:33 -2:03 Warm Good
2019 Horse Mark Adams on Woottonheath Herbie[14] 2:18:51 Jack Wood[14] 2:23:48 4:57 Cool Soft to heavy
2018 Horse Peter Davies on Ronnie[15] 2:34:49 Joe Dale[15] 2:35:12 0:23 Rain/sun Soft
2017 Horse Iola Evans on Rheidol Petra[16] 2:23:03 Owen Beilby[16] 2:50:21 27:18 Rainy Heavy
2016 Horse Lindsey Walters on Deliva Crianza[17] 2:17:58 Ross MacDonald[17] 2:37:51 19:53 Cloudy and humid Good, good to soft in places
2015 Horse Geoffrey Allen on Leo[18] 2:20:46 Hugh Aggleton[18] 2:30:35 9:49 Rain/warm Good to soft
2014 Horse Geoffrey Allen on Leo[19] 2:22:53 Jonathan Albon[19] 2:42:49 19:56 Warm to hot Good to soft
2013 Horse Beti Gordon on Next in line at Grangeway[20] 2:18:03 Hugh Aggleton[20] 2:46:25 28:22 Hot Good
2012 Horse Iola Evans on Rheidol Star[21] 2:00:51 Huw Lobb[21] 2:25:57 25:06 Cloudy Very heavy
2011 Horse Beti Gordon on Next in line at Grangeway[22] 2:08:37 Charlie Pearson[22] 2:25:45 17:08 Rain/sun/windy Heavy
2010 Horse Llinos Mair Jones on Sly Dai[23] 2:07:04 Haggai Chepkwony[23] 2:17:27 10:23 Hot Good to soft
2009 Horse Geoffrey Allen on Dukes Touch of Fun[24] 2:11:43 Martin Cox[24] 2:20:02 8:19 Hot Heavy
2008 Horse Geoffrey Allen on Dukes Touch of Fun[8][25] 2:18:13 John Macfarlane[8][25] 2:18:43 0:30 Hot Good to soft
2007 Human Geoffrey Allen on Lucy[26] 2:31:26 Florian Holzinger[26] 2:20:30 -10:56 Hot Good to firm
2006 Horse Denise Meldrum on Tarran Bay[27] 2:10:29 Haggai Chepkwony[27] 2:19:06 8:37 Warm Soft
2005 Horse Lise Cooke on Gifted Lady[28] 2:19:11 Stephen Goulding[28] 2:33:22 14:11 Unknown Unknown
2004 Human Zoe White on Kay Bee Jay[29] 2:07:36 Huw Lobb[29] 2:05:19 -2:17 Hot Unknown
2003 Horse Robyn Petrie-Ritchie on Druimguiga Shemal[30] 2:02:01 Mark Croasdale[30] 2:19:02 17:01 Unknown Unknown
2002 Horse Robyn Petrie-Ritchie on Druimguiga Shemal[31] 2:02:23 James McQueen[31] 2:18:52 16:29 Unknown Unknown
2001 Horse Heather Evans on Royal Mikado 2:08:06 Martin Cox 2:17:17 9:11 Unknown Unknown
2000 Horse Heather Evans on Royal Mikado 2:08 Mark Croasdale 2:10 2:00 Unknown Unknown
1999 Horse Jackie Gilmour on Ruama[32] 1:58 Mark Palmer[32] 2:16 18:00 Unknown Unknown
1998 Horse Jackie Gilmour on Ruama[32] 1:46 Stuart Major[32] 2:16 30:00 Unknown Unknown
1997 Horse Megan Lewis on Silver Sea Gem[32] 1:52 Paul Cadwallader[32] 2:09 17:00 Unknown Unknown
1996 Horse Ken Mapp on Ahmaar[32] 1:57 Mark Palmer[32] 2:12 15:00 Unknown Unknown
1995 Horse Ken Mapp on Ahmaar[32] 1:57 Paul Cadwallader[32] 2:06 9:00 Unknown Unknown
1994 Horse Celia Tymons on Eskalabar[32] 1:52 Mark Croasdale[32] 2:09 17:00 Unknown Unknown
1993 Horse John Hudson on unknown[32] 1:47 Robin Bergstrand[32] 2:03 16:00 Unknown Unknown
1992 Horse Zoe Jennings on Hussar[32] 1:38 Derek Green[32] 2:09 31:00 Unknown Unknown
1991 Horse Zoe Jennings on Hussar[32] 1:30 Mark Croasdale[32] 2:05 35:00 Unknown Unknown
1990 Horse Ray Jenkins on The Doid and Chris Powell on Elkie[32] 1:36 Glyn Williams[32] 2:07 31:00 Unknown Unknown
1989 Horse Ray Jenkins on The Doid[32] 1:54 Mark Croasdale[32] 2:10 16:00 Unknown Unknown
1988 Horse John Davies on Mavies[32] 1:47 Mark Croasdale[32] 2:08 21:00 Unknown Unknown
1987 Horse Ray Jenkins on The Doid and Bill George on Mando[32] 1:32 Paul Wheeler[32] 1:57 25:00 Unknown Unknown
1986 Horse Nia Tudno-Jones on Jenny[32] 1:44 Fuselier Hughes[32] 2:08 24:00 Unknown Unknown
1985 Horse Nia Tudno-Jones on Jenny 1:40 David Woodhead 2:08 28:00 Unknown Unknown
1984 Horse William Jones on Solitaire 1:20 David Woodhead 2:05 45:00 Unknown Unknown
1983 Horse Ann Thomas on Nutmeg 1:26 Dic Evans 2:02 36:00 Unknown Unknown
1982 Horse Sue Thomas on Simon 2:06 Paul Brownson 2:10 4:00 Unknown Unknown
1981 Horse Clive Powell on Sultan 2:02 Dic Evans 2:24 22:00 Unknown Unknown
1980 Horse Glyn Jones on Solomon 1:27 Dic Evans 2:10 43:00 Unknown Unknown

References

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  1. ^ a b "History made as man beats horse". BBC News. 13 June 2004. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  2. ^ "Man versus horse marathon". Green Events. Archived from the original on 4 February 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  3. ^ "Man V Horse Scotland Event". Dores And Essich Community Council. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Human v Horse". RNZ. 18 May 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  5. ^ Maundrell, Lizzie. "Human V. Horse". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  6. ^ "Man Against Horse Race". managainsthorse.net. Archived from the original on 23 July 2010. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  7. ^ "Man Against Horse | Radiolab". WNYC Studios. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  8. ^ a b c "Horse outruns man in marathon, but only just". London: Telegraph.co.uk. 16 June 2008. Archived from the original on 19 June 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  9. ^ "Man versus horse marathon". William Hill. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  10. ^ "Two men beat horse in race". BBC News. 9 June 2007. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  11. ^ "Trans World Sports". Trans World Sports. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2023". Results Base.
  13. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2022". Results Base.
  14. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2019". Results Base.
  15. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2018". Results Base.
  16. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2017". Results Base.
  17. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2016". Results Base.
  18. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2015". Results Base.
  19. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2014". Results Base.
  20. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2013". Online Race Results.
  21. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2012". Online Race Results.
  22. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2011". Online Race Results.
  23. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2010". Online Race Results.
  24. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2009". Online Race Results.
  25. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2008". Online Race Results.
  26. ^ a b "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 2007". Online Race Results. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  27. ^ a b "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 2006". Online Race Results. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  28. ^ a b "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 2005". Online Race Results. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  29. ^ a b "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 2004". Online Race Results. Retrieved 2 August 2008.[permanent dead link]
  30. ^ a b "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 2003". William Hill. Archived from the original on 26 June 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
  31. ^ a b "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 2002". William Hill. Archived from the original on 26 June 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
  32. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 1987-1999". Angelfire. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
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