Horse lover’s ready to ride into the Mongolian sunset

Campbell Costello is preparing to compete in August’s Mongol Derby — the world’s longest and toughest horse race.

The 25-year-old Cobden veterinarian and surgeon is a self-described “part-time cowboy” and is among 15 people from nine countries in the August 10 race, which stretches over 1000km of the Mongolian steppes.

The race’s organisers, The Adventurists, predict riders will complete the race in seven to 10 days, riding more than 100km each day.

Dr Costello is looking forward to this life-changing experience but says he is not driven to win.

“I Google-searched horse adventures and this was the best thing I found,” he said.

“I’m not focused on winning.

“I want to help curdle yak’s milk, help the charity out and get an authentic Mongolian experience.

“I’ll be eating and sleeping with Mongolian families in traditional gers (huts) — it’s the real deal.”

The derby, which does not have a marked course or a tour guide, recreates the ancient horse-station network used by legendary emperor Genghis Khan.

1000 small semi-wild Mongolian horses, like those that once carried all-conquering Mongol warriors across Asia, will be used in the race.

Horse-stations are spread out every 40km, where competitors change mounts.

“I’ve worked with stock horses all my life, on my cattle station in remote Queensland, and as a vet,” he said.

“I’m not worried about any risks because it’s no different to falling off my horse at home.”

Dr Costello said he had to show adventurism, horse-riding knowledge and rural survival skills to be accepted in the derby.

Each participant pays up to $11,000 for the experience, with $1500 going to Mercy Corps Mongolia — a charity running economic development projects in rural Mongolia.

The annual derby was launched in 2009 and has so far raised over $232,000 to help herders access markets and business expertise, which assists in sustaining their livelihood.

Prior to the race, the riders partake in intensive training from August 7-9 in Mongolia.

“They need to see we are fit and strong enough to compete,” Dr Costello said.

He said he was confident in his physicality but he still needed to lose eight kilos to compete.

“Competitors can’t weigh more than 85kg fully clothed, so I’ve got a bit of work to do,” he said.

Dr Costello will compete against South African adventurers, a Danish jockey, a polo player, an American geologist, a Norwegian entrepreneur, a British marketing analyst, bookkeeper, government advisor, property consultant and publicist, a Dutch teacher and a Kiwi property developer.

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