From the BBC Online News:

"A man has won the annual Man versus Horse race for the first time in its 25-year history.
Crowds of spectators at Llanwrtyd Wells in mid Wales saw Huw Lobb pick up the �25,000 prize - until Saturday, one of the biggest unclaimed prizes in British athletics.





He completed the 22-mile course in two hours, five minutes, and 19 seconds.

Bookies William Hill had to pay out on scores of bets struck at odds of 16/1.

This year's contest had a record 500 runners and more than 40 horses and riders competing for the winning title.

The event in the tiny Welsh town attracts competitors from throughout the UK and Europe.

South Londoner Mr Lobb, 27, is an experienced marathon runner but he admitted to being "ecstatic" when he realised he had won.

"It is a very unusual event with men running against horses," he said.


Around 300 competitors took part in the race
He said he managed to break away from the pack at about the 10-mile mark. However, despite crossing the finish line alone, he had to wait 15 minutes before finding out if he had won.

"When I crossed the line it became a bit of a waiting game to see if anyone had got over the line in a quicker time.

"Then we had a big count-down and then they told me I had won.

"I was ecstatic, I couldn't believe it.

"Everybody was cheering and shaking my hand and telling me I'd have to buy them a drink with my prize money," he said.

It was the first time that Mr Lobb, who has taken part in several marathons, had participated in the sporting calendar's most unusual race.

"I will definitely do it again, it is a fantastic and very unusual event, not something I have ever done before," he said.


The race brings the tiny Welsh town to a standstill

The prize money for the winning runner has remained unclaimed until now.

Every year, the prize grows by �1,000 and Mr Lobb scooped �25,000 for running the 22 mile race.

"The first thing that I will do with the money is buy myself some decent training shoes," said Mr Lobb.

"Then I may take myself off on some training holidays before taking part in some marathons in the autumn," he added.

Graham Sharpe, spokesman for William Hill, said : "This is a fantastic achievement which I have always believed could be done in the right circumstances."

The first horse home was Kay Bee Jay, ridden by Zoe White, in a time of two hours, seven minutes, and 36 seconds.

Event organiser Gordon Green said it was a "fantastic day".

"It has been brilliant because it is our 25th anniversary this year.

"I've always thought someone would do it one day and today it happened.

"Everybody was excited by the win and I'm sure there is going to be a big party tonight," he added.

A memorial was unveiled before the race to Screaming Lord Sutch who had been a strong supporter of the event.

The race is run over 22 miles and takes competitors through some of the most picturesque scenery in Wales via farm tracks, footpaths, open moorland and tarmac."

Wowza! That makes absolutely no sense to me. How did that happen?? Fast man and crippled horses?

--Mike

Some kind of B.S. promotional thing I suspect. The bozo in the black and white poke a dots should have won.

Gents,

No the race is genuine and the results are very genuine. Humans have actually come close to winning a couple of times in the past so i don't think its a fluke.

I suspect the reason is the way the prizes are given. The big prize in this case �25K which is about $40k, has only been offered to the fastest human; I suspect the first horse and rider past the post gets like a bale of hay! Therefore as the years have gone by and the prize money for a human win has built up, you have started to attract some serious long distance runners while the riders and horse I suspect are locals out for a fun day.

I am not a horse person, so I don't know how long a horse should take to cover 22 miles? Is 11mph for two hours realistic for a horse over cross country terrain?

Regards,

Pete

Horses versus humans have an interesting history. I doubt that a horse could beat a man over extremely broken terrain at any distance, but did you know, that for planning purposes, the US military considered men faster than horses if the duration of the march was greater than 5 days???

A human soldier could march harder, longer and with less maintenance than a horse over the same route, once the march lasted greater than 5 days.

Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?

I doubt on a short 22 mile race a horse should lose. They must be the local horses out for a spin. On a 5 day march I could imagine the horse being a burden. I'd bring one anyway and when he falls over dead, there is 1,000 pounds of dinner at your feet. Sure would beat hardtack.

Sevens

As I recollect, Zulu warriors were reputed to be able to "outrun a horse" ie. over a period of one day, the Zulu's at a steady trot could cover a greater distance than a horse and rider. This, of course, was in their hey day, not the current Zulu's who run around scaring people.
peter.

I thought I would resurrect this thread from way back....
Congratulations to the winner of the 2007 race ~ Florian Holzinger from Germany who beat the horse by 11minutes in a time of 2 hours 20minutes, 30 seconds, scooping the £3000 prize pot!

Peter.

The Western States 100/Tevis Cup is a 100 mile race, run by humans and (mounted) horses ... and humans quite often come in with better times, in spite of the fact that they actually run a little further (the horses take an easier route toward the end.)

I have no intention of riding 100 miles in 15 hours, let alone doing it on foot, but to those who can, more power to you.

As historians of the American SW know, for many years various indian bands in the area currently composed of SW Colorado, Western NM, southern Utah, most of Arizona, and part of northern Mexico conducted trade, war, diplomacy, etc., through the use of runners who could cover fantastic distances at even more fantastic speeds, over rugged granite mountains and bare, mostly waterless, deserts. Even when horses were introduced into the area by the Spanish Conquistadores, it took them a relatively LONG time to displace barefoot men for those roles. It was faster, more reliable, more versatile, and cheaper to use the man.

It's happened before. An indian runner from southern ontario outran a horse over a long course. the horse quit and he kept going. it is recorded in the newspapers of the time

As they say ... If life was fair, the horse would ride half the time.

I doubt that out running just any old horse is much of a task for a human, and in fact it has happened..

Let me pick the horse and them pick the human, that is the clincher..the horse would win and by a a hell of a margin. Breeding has so much to do with horses.

Let the human get saddled with 20% of his weight in a backpack. He won't even finish.