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The '''Man versus Horse Marathon''' is an annual race over 22 miles, where runners compete against riders on horseback.<ref name=bbc2004>{{cite news|publisher=BBC News|title=History made as man beats horse|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/3801177.stm|accessdate=2008-08-02}}</ref><ref name=greenevents>{{cite web|publisher=Green Events|title=Man versus horse marathon|url=http://www.green-events.co.uk/eventinfo.php?eventdetails=32|accessdate=2008-08-02}}</ref> The race, which is not technically a [[marathon]], as the route does not meet the prerequisite distance, takes place in the [[Wales|Welsh]] town of [[Llanwrtyd Wells]] every June.
The '''Man versus Horse Marathon''' is an annual race over 22 miles, where runners compete against riders on horseback.<ref name=bbc2004>{{cite news|publisher=BBC News|title=History made as man beats horse|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/3801177.stm|accessdate=2008-08-02}}</ref><ref name=greenevents>{{cite web|publisher=Green Events|title=Man versus horse marathon|url=http://www.green-events.co.uk/eventinfo.php?eventdetails=32|accessdate=2008-08-02}}</ref> The race, which is not technically a [[marathon]], as the route does not meet the requisite distance, takes place in the [[Wales|Welsh]] town of [[Llanwrtyd Wells]] every June.


==History of the race==
==History of the race==

Revision as of 02:40, 29 July 2009

The Man versus Horse Marathon is an annual race over 22 miles, where runners compete against riders on horseback.[1][2] The race, which is not technically a marathon, as the route does not meet the requisite distance, takes place in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells every June.

History of the race

Competitors in the 2006 Man versus Horse Marathon

The event started in 1980,[3] when local landlord Gordon Green overheard a discussion between two men in his pub, the Neuadd Arms.[4] 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 22 miles, but over rougher terrain. In 1985, cyclists were allowed to compete too - and that year, U.S. ladies' champion cyclist Jacqui 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.[5]

The 2009 race was marred by controversy, when the organizers in an apparent change to the rules, 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 claimed this has always been the case, it is unclear whether this is actually so. The fastest runner, Martin Cox, refused to accept the winners trophy in protest at the decision.

Winners of the race

Year Type Winner Runner Up Weather Conditions Going
2009 Horse Geoffrey Allen on Dukes Touch of Fun (2:11:43)[6] Martin Cox (2:20:02)[6] Hot Heavy
2008 Horse Geoffrey Allen on Dukes Touch of Fun (2:18:13)[3][7] John Macfarlane (2:18:43)[3][7] Hot Good to Soft
2007 Human Florian Holzinger (2:20:30)[8] Geoffrey Allen on Lucy (2:31:26)[8] Hot Good to Firm
2006 Horse Denise Meldrum on Tarran Bay (2:10:29)[9] Haggai Chepkwony (2:19:06)[9] Warm Soft
2005 Horse Lise Cooke on Gifted Lady (02:19:11)[10] Martin Shaw (02:26:03)[10] Unknown Unknown
2004 Human Huw Lobb (2:05:19)[11] Zoe White on Kay Bee Jay (2:07:36)[11] Unknown Unknown
2003 Horse Robyn Petrie-Ritchie on Druimguiga Shemal (2:02:01)[12] Mark Croasdale (2:19:02)[12] Unknown Unknown
2002 Horse Robyn Petrie-Ritchie on Druimguiga Shemal (2:02:23)[13] James McQueen (2:18:52)[13] Unknown Unknown
2001 Horse Heather Evans on Royal Mikado (2:08:06) Martin Cox (2:17:17) Unknown Unknown
2000 Horse Heather Evans on Royal Mikado (2:08) Mark Croasdale (2:10) Unknown Unknown
1999 Horse Jackie Gilmour on Ruama (1:58)[14] Mark Palmer (2:16)[14] Unknown Unknown
1998 Horse Jackie Gilmour on Ruama (1:46)[14] Stuart Major (2:16)[14] Unknown Unknown
1997 Horse Megan Lewis on unknown (1:52)[14] Paul Cadwallader (2:09)[14] Unknown Unknown
1996 Horse Ken Mapp on Ahmaar (1:57)[14] Mark Palmer (2:12)[14] Unknown Unknown
1995 Horse Ken Mapp on Ahmaar (1:57)[14] Paul Cadwallader (2:06)[14] Unknown Unknown
1994 Horse Celia Tymons on Eskalabar (1:52)[14] Mark Croasdale (2:09)[14] Unknown Unknown
1993 Horse John Hudson on unknown (1:47)[14] Robin Bergstrand (2:03)[14] Unknown Unknown
1992 Horse Zoe Jennings on Hussar (1:38)[14] Derek Green (2:09)[14] Unknown Unknown
1991 Horse Zoe Jennings on Hussar (1:30)[14] Mark Croasdale (2:05)[14] Unknown Unknown
1990 Horse Ray Jenkins on The Doid and Chris Powell on Elkie (1:36)[14] Glyn Williams (2:07)[14] Unknown Unknown
1989 Horse Ray Jenkins on The Doid (1:54)[14] Mark Croasdale (2:10)[14] Unknown Unknown
1988 Horse John Davies on Jenny (1:47)[14] Mark Croasdale (2:08)[14] Unknown Unknown
1987 Horse Ray Jenkins on The Doid and Bill George on Mando (1:32)[14] Paul Wheeler (1:57)[14] Unknown Unknown

References

  1. ^ a b "History made as man beats horse". BBC News. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  2. ^ "Man versus horse marathon". Green Events. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  3. ^ a b c "Horse outruns man in marathon, but only just". Telegraph.co.uk. 2008-06-16. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  4. ^ "Man versus horse marathon". William Hill. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  5. ^ "Two men beat horse in race". BBC News. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  6. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2009". Online Race Results.
  7. ^ a b "Man v Horse = Llanwrtyd Wells 2008". Online Race Results.
  8. ^ a b "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 2007". Online Race Results. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  9. ^ a b "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 2006". Online Race Results. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  10. ^ a b "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 2005". Online Race Results. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  11. ^ a b "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 2004". Online Race Results. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  12. ^ a b "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 2003". William Hill. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  13. ^ a b "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 2002". William Hill. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  14. ^ 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 "Man v Horse - Llanwrtyd Wells 1987-1999". Angelfire. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
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