- Location
- Cornwall.
A dairy farmer from Hayle has signed up to take on the world's longest and toughest horse race – a derby across 1,000km of east Asian terrain.
Paul Richards will be swapping Hayle for Mongolia
A dairy farmer from Hayle has signed up to take on the world's longest and toughest horse race – a derby across 1,000km of east Asian terrain.
Paul Richards, 59, a dairy farmer from Hayle, will be taking part in the Mongol Derby and is raising funds for Children's Hospice South West (CHSW).
Paul is a fourth-generation dairy farmer and has signed up to take on the 9th Mongol Derby across 1,000km of Mongolian steppe.
Paul is the first Cornishman to ever be selected for the derby and will be riding against 39 other competitors from around the world. Paul is one of only nine riders from the UK taking part.
The derby will begin on August 9 and the final riders will be expected in on August 18. Throughout the race they will have to endure all weather conditions and terrains, they will ride through everything including deserts, forests, rivers, salt pans and marshes.
Riders will be riding semi wild horses and will change their horses every 40km. It will be a very different experience compared to the training they may have done at home potentially always on the same horses.
Paul said: "This summer I will be swapping my pickup for a 14hh pony to join the Mongol Derby, known as the longest and toughest horse race in the world, to race across all manner of terrain, in Mongolia.
"I will be covering just over 1,000km over a ten day period, whilst carrying 5kgs of luggage with me most of which will be survival kit and spare food. At night we will stay with the local herders so the clothes I put on on day one will be the same ones I finish in. I thought it would be good for a challenge even at my age and as well as completing the race, all in one piece, importantly I am aiming to raise over £10,000 Children's Hospice South West."
Paul is raising funds for CHSW which supports families locally through its children's hospice in St Austell, Little Harbour.
Little Harbour is one of three hospices run by CHSW in the south west and is there to offer care and support to children suffering from life limiting or life threatening illnesses.
Little Harbour provides respite, short breaks and palliative care and offers a home from home environment for families in times of uncertainty. Little Harbour also provides end of life care and bereavement support to families.
To sponsor Paul visit his online donation page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/PaulRichards15
Paul Richards will be swapping Hayle for Mongolia
A dairy farmer from Hayle has signed up to take on the world's longest and toughest horse race – a derby across 1,000km of east Asian terrain.
Paul Richards, 59, a dairy farmer from Hayle, will be taking part in the Mongol Derby and is raising funds for Children's Hospice South West (CHSW).
Paul is a fourth-generation dairy farmer and has signed up to take on the 9th Mongol Derby across 1,000km of Mongolian steppe.
Paul is the first Cornishman to ever be selected for the derby and will be riding against 39 other competitors from around the world. Paul is one of only nine riders from the UK taking part.
The derby will begin on August 9 and the final riders will be expected in on August 18. Throughout the race they will have to endure all weather conditions and terrains, they will ride through everything including deserts, forests, rivers, salt pans and marshes.
Riders will be riding semi wild horses and will change their horses every 40km. It will be a very different experience compared to the training they may have done at home potentially always on the same horses.
Paul said: "This summer I will be swapping my pickup for a 14hh pony to join the Mongol Derby, known as the longest and toughest horse race in the world, to race across all manner of terrain, in Mongolia.
"I will be covering just over 1,000km over a ten day period, whilst carrying 5kgs of luggage with me most of which will be survival kit and spare food. At night we will stay with the local herders so the clothes I put on on day one will be the same ones I finish in. I thought it would be good for a challenge even at my age and as well as completing the race, all in one piece, importantly I am aiming to raise over £10,000 Children's Hospice South West."
Paul is raising funds for CHSW which supports families locally through its children's hospice in St Austell, Little Harbour.
Little Harbour is one of three hospices run by CHSW in the south west and is there to offer care and support to children suffering from life limiting or life threatening illnesses.
Little Harbour provides respite, short breaks and palliative care and offers a home from home environment for families in times of uncertainty. Little Harbour also provides end of life care and bereavement support to families.
To sponsor Paul visit his online donation page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/PaulRichards15