Walking to the starting line

A silence of ceremony and expectation hangs in the air as riders and families trickle out from nearby Bayankhonger. The horses are visibly agitated, gathering anger that will soon turn to raw speed. They stamp and snort, mysteriously knowing what lies ahead. Veterenarian Dan Schar marvels at the horses: "It's a miracle they even survive the winter, let alone run a 15 km sprint several months later."

The race starts and we also launch into motion, our Soviet van rumbling west across the plains in the most intense audience participation ever into a sporting event. At one point a horse veers off course, right for the van. We cheer the rider on, offer instructions to whip the horse's left cheek, and the pair lurch back on the course eventually finishing third in the most challenging race of the weekend.


Start of the six-year-old race