One of the reasons why horse racing is so popular today is because there are many different horse breeds around the world. If you are a betting enthusiast, you might also like the sport because there is a race to bet on almost every day. One of the places where you can find plenty of horse betting markets is BetAmerica. If you decide to register, we advise that you first read more about the sign up offer at BetAmerica.
One of the most original horse races that you can participate in and bet on is definitely the Man vs. Horse Marathon that takes place in Wales. This unique race is like no other that you have seen before. It happens once a year, in June, and allows horses, cyclists, and runners to compete for a money prize. Let’s see how this weird race began and learn more about it.
How Did This Marathon Come to Be?
The first Man vs. Horse Marathon happened almost by chance. The first event took place in 1980 after a local horse owner overheard a conversation in a local bar. A man in the bar suggested that a human could outrun a horse with ease if they race over a significant distance.
The local landlord, Gordon Green, disagreed with this statement and offered to set up a race in which they could test this theory. The course for the first race was 35 km long, which made it shorter than the regular marathon. However, the terrain was more challenging.
In 1982, the original route was slightly changed, so that the horses and runners had equal chances at winning the race. At first, only runners had been allowed to participate, but cyclists were included in 1985 as well.
Today, the route is 38.6 km long and climbs a total of 1,427 meters, following the local roads and paths around the town of Llanwrtyd Wells.
Do Runners and Cyclists Stand a Chance?
At first, it seemed that Gordon Green was right and that it was difficult, if not impossible, for humans to outrun or outcycle a horse. For the first 25 years, a horse had been the winner of every race. However, these wins were close calls most of the times, and the time difference between horses and humans kept shrinking.
Finally, in 2004, a man named Huw Lobb was the first human to win in the Man vs. Horse Marathon. He finished the course in 2h 5min, which was two minutes faster than the fastest horse. This win secured him a £25,000 prize, which grew by £1,000 every year a horse would win.
Lobb’s achievement was repeated three years later in 2007 when Florien Holtinger managed to win the race as well. However, that was the last time a man managed to win, and the horses have dominated the race since then. So far, no cyclist has managed to be on par with horses.
The prize for the runner who beats a horse increases by £500 each year a horse is undefeated. Therefore, the prize for the 2019 marathon is £3,000. If you think you stand a chance, make sure to register in time and purchase a ticket to Wales for June!