Ed Fernon and Barry Armitage 2017 Mongol Derby joint winners.

© Julian Herbert @ Mongol Derby 2017

The 2017 Mongol Derby, the world’s longest and toughest horse race, has been jointly won by 29 year-old Ed Fernon, an Olympic pentathlete from Sydney, Australia, and 51 year-old Barry Armitage, a former professional sailor turned adventurer, from South Africa, first past the post in 2012 (but thwarted by a vet penalty).

They crossed the finish line together in ‘stinking hot conditions’ and have covered the 1000km’s in seven days riding 12 hours a day – and in some of the worst conditions the race has ever seen.

The joint winners.

© Julian Herbert @ Mongol Derby 2017

On arrival at the finish line, both headed straight into the lake to cool off.

In 3rd place, just a few hours behind was 40 year-old Jakkie Mellett, from Lyndon in South Africa who has displayed incredible riding skills throughout, but received a vet penalty at the final urtuu (horse station) meaning a two hour wait before he could give chase to the others.

This means the race had an all-male southern hemisphere podium this year!

Likely to finish next (tomorrow) are William ‘Dingo’ Comiskey, 29, from Long Reach, Australia and joint winner in 2016, and Warren Sutton, 45, from Victoria, Australia. 

Barry Armitage.

© Julian Herbert @ Mongol Derby 2017

Source: Press release

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