LIBANUS horse rider Jane Boxhall has had to retire from the world’s toughest horse-riding event after taking a tumble in the early stages.
Jane was listed as one of three early retirements in the endurance Mongol Derby 2017.
The endurance event requires riders to tackle 1,000km of inhospitable terrain, changing horses at stations situated 40km apart.
The idea is that the riders rotate their horses in order to avoid over exerting them.
Ms Boxhall, who went to school in Brecon and grew up on a farm near Libanus, is listed as having suffered a “rough fall” by the event’s organisers after covering about 150km. Two other riders, one with cracked ribs and the other suffering from dehydration and hypothermia, have also had to drop out.
Ms Boxhall divides her time between her horse breeding business in Argentina and Libanus and was listed among the starters as being from Argentina.
Liz Ampairee, who is involved in publicising the Mongol Derby, said: “Sadly Jane had to pull out after suffering a fall. Fortunately the horse was fine – the Mongolian ponies are semi-wild and most competitors take at least a few falls, but Jane took quite a bad one!
“She retired on Friday having travelled about 150kms.”
The report that was sent back from Mongolia’s capital Ulan Bator (UB) said: “We have three retirements from the field thus far: Julia Fisher (cracked ribs); Rick Helson (dehydration and hypothermia) and Jane Boxhall (rough fall from horse).
“All have been through the SOS clinic in UB and discharged in good health. They’ll be dining in good company tonight, warm, dry, and presumably mutton-free.”