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Events
Jess Di Pasquale and Natalie Bell are in Mongolia to take part in the world's longest and toughest horse race, the 1000km Mongol Derby www.katherinetimes.com.au
Two Territory riders have travelled halfway around the world to compete in the world's longest and toughest horse race.
Set to cross the start line on Wednesday, Katherine's Jess Di Pasquale and Darwin-based Natalie Bell, will be competing in the Mongol Derby, a gruelling ten-day horse race across 1000km of Mongolian wilderness.
The race aims to recreate a legendary part of Mongolian history: In 1224, Genghis Khan established the world's first long-distance postal transmission system, using a large network of horse stations spaced from Kharkhorin to the Caspian Sea.
Changing their horses every 40km, riders - who travel from all over the world to take part in the race - will be living with herders or camping under the stars along the way.
They are allowed to carry only a 5kg of essential survival kit and the navigation between the 25 horse stations will be up to the riders alone as there is no marked course.
Combining survival skills and horsemanship, competitors will need an extra level of determination and sometimes sheer luck to make it to the finish line or even take out the win.
"We trained as much as we could," Mrs Di Pasquale said.
"It was hard fitting it in around life, work and family, but we rode every chance we had, got several long distance endurance rides in and tested and trialled our gear within an inch of its life."
But the experienced rider, who has followed the race for a long time, said it wasn't lack of preparedness she was worried about, but her navigation skills.
"We are both sh***ing ourselves to be brutally honest," she said.
"I think the navigation will be the hardest part.
"Hopefully we don't end up in Russia or China."
Using the race as a challenge after having two children, Kace (5) and Primrose (2), Mrs Di Pasquale said together with her friend - and former Pony Club rival - Natalie Bell, she also wanted to raise money for two good causes: Steppe and Hoof, an organisation that supports Mongolian herders, and cancer charity Sock it to Sarcoma.
"One of our friends who used to ride with us at pony club died from one of the rarest forms of sarcoma in 2017," she said.
"If she was still here (the Mongol Derby is) definitely something she would be keen on doing as well."
Ms Bell added while she joined the challenge to test and push herself to see how 'tough and resilient can I be when I really needed to dig deep', it was the memory of her late friend that encouraged her to enter the race.
"It is a chance for me and Jess to keep Stevie's memory alive, to pay tribute to her fight and how brave she was though her fight, and her zest and passion for life to be everything you make it," she said.
"We will be riding in recognition of our Stevie girl, who fought a battle tougher than any steppe, and who would've been our third musketeer on this adventure."
The two Territorians started their training days in the Mongolian Steppe yesterday, with the actual race starting on Wednesday. Those interested can follow their adventure here.
In 2017, Katherine's Jodie Ward finished in equal sixth place in the Mongol Derby.
BY: Annie Hesse Northern Territory Correspondent
I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books.
Published Date:2022-08-09
