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Powys County Times
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Man vs Horse rider thrown and horse lost for over an hour
A COMPETITOR at last weekend's Man vs Horse race said she 'needed' to finish, after being thrown from her horse, who then bolted and was lost for more than an hour. Julie Griffiths heaped praise on event organisers and marshals, as well as runners who came to her aid when another horse reportedly barged into her and her horse, Swizz. Julie fell from the saddle, while spooked Swizz then darted off down the track, before he was found about an hour-and-a-half later at a nearby farm. Julie and Swizz recovered to finish in four hours, 27 seconds, which was good enough for 210th position overall, out of 712 finishers (including three-person relay teams) at the madcap race, held in the hills and forests surrounding Llanwrtyd Wells. 'Thank you so much Robert (Bob Greenhough, of organisers Green Events) and all your amazing helpers, organisers and marshals,' Julie said, in a post on the Man vs Horse Community Facebook page on Monday. 'Me and my boy Swizz had an unfortunate incident by a rider who sped past me on a very, very narrow track in the woods on the second half, barging into my horse, causing him to go vertical up the steep embankment. 'I came off and don't recall anything until I was surrounded by some amazing runners whom I would like to personally thank for your help in getting me back on my feet. 'My poor boy had disappeared down the track which is unlike him and I couldn't find him. But with the help of my partner, who rushed to me, and your amazing marshals, organisers and helpers; he was found in the woods after 90 minutes, safe with no injuries. 'I decided, after checking him over, we needed to finish the race and we did. 'I cannot thank you enough for everything; it was just unfortunate that the rider had no etiquette.' Dewi Griffiths won the race, becoming the first Welshman to outrun a horse in the iconic Powys sporting event's history. He was the third human winner in the last four years. The Swansea Harrier crossed the finishing line nearly 13 minutes faster than Gweni the horse with a time of two hours, 23 minutes and 54 seconds, earning himself a trophy and £250. Gweni, who was ridden by Gabi Morley, took two hours, 35 minutes and 45 seconds to complete the multi terrain course, which this year was just over 22 miles. It took 25 years before a runner finally beat all the horses when Huw Lobb won £25,000 after crossing the line two minutes quicker in 2004. His feat was repeated three years later in 2007 by Florien Holzinger, followed by Ricky Lightfoot in 2022 and Daniel Connolly in 2023.
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
I took on the Man vs Horse race and lived to tell the tale
IN the annual battle of human versus beast, man triumphed for the third year in the last four at the Man vs Horse Race. There really is something truly special about running alongside a horse on a slippery, treacherous trail in the forest tracks and bogs surrounding Llanwrtyd Wells each June. Man vs Horse isn't even the most 'out there' invention that Green Events has in its stable. There's also the Mountain Bike Chariot Racing, Welsh Open Stoneskimming and World Bog Snorkelling championships all on the calendar, but this is by far the most popular, and in my humble opinion, the best. It consistently brings in the crowds, and competitors, with about 1,000 people descending on the quirky Mid Wales town last Saturday, June 14, to test their mettle against more than 60 horses. It's my favourite event to do, and lots of people I know feel the same. Why? Who can say? It's a hell of a lot of fun. I think it's the combination of exploring stunning scenery and watery, mud-covered trails, conquering the lung-bursting and leg-screaming hills, running literally alongside horses, the camaraderie built with fellow runners and the overall sense of pride and achievement at the finish line that make it so special. As a friend and fellow endurance junkie, Dan Graham, put it afterwards: 'It's bonkers'. The eccentric 'This can't possibly be a thing' element of Man vs Horse is also what puts the event on a pedestal and plays a part in its popularity. There's plenty of wacky races up and down the UK; from cheese rolling in Gloucestershire, Race the Train in Tywyn on the West Wales coast, the Great Knaresborough Bed Race and Dorking's Wife Carrying Championships. And Man vs Horse is right up there alongside them as a bucket list challenge. This was my fourth year of entering and third doing the full distance, after I dipped my toe in 2022 with a relay place (you can either enter as a solo runner or play a part in a three-person relay team). After the epic thunderstorms on Friday night, Saturday felt like a proper, authentic Man vs Horse experience. The rain made for a treacherously thrilling course in places, with plenty of boggy plunges – one descent early on the second leg at Trallwm genuinely made me feel like I was on a slip 'n' slide. After the first sight of the horses negotiating the gruelling 'Garn', you encounter them sporadically throughout the race, even though they follow a slightly alternate route. There are obviously a few hills to contend with – my Strava told me I'd amassed 3,999 feet of elevation – and it takes a toll in many ways. One lady fell off her horse, which then went AWOL, before turning up at a nearby farm. After cruising into the final checkpoint, at around 16 miles, near Llwynowen, the last 6 or so miles was a real slog. The terrain had truly zapped my legs and I was just grateful to reach the finish line, where friends, family, an alcoholic beverage, and gratefully, the ice cream man, were waiting for me. I came home in 6 hours 10 minutes then had a few more very well-deserved alcoholic beverages. Shout out to Izzy and Gary Watts – two Man v Horse fiends (Gary, very reluctantly so, every year) who agreed to be tail walkers. They came across the line in 7 hours and 25 minutes, but made the day of the final finisher Roshan Khan, who'd tried and failed to complete the race previously; but with Izzy and Gary's help, achieved a long-held ambition.
