Man versus horse

Who won this year's slog?

Horses triumphed again as Touch of Luck and its rider Geoffrey Allen, from Bewdley, Worcestershire, won this years Man versus Horse cross country race with a time of 2:11:43, on June 13. Held in the quiet village of Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales since 1980, the race pits runners against horses in a gruelling 22-mile course, up hills and through rivers. It was won by the same rider and horse team last year. 

The last time a runner won was back in 2007, while the first ever win for a human was marked back in 2004 by Londoner Huw Lob, who pocketed an accumulated prize of £25,000. This year, the nearest humans got to a victory was a relay team, Ponty Rodents. The Rodents came third, while solo runner Mark Cox came fourth with a time of 2:20:02.

To give the humans more of a chance, and to avoid collisions, the horses start 15 minutes later, and there is also a 'Vet Stop' at the mid-way point to check over the horses, giving the runners a little more time. Legend states that the idea for the race arose after a discussion in the bar of the Nueadd Arms hotel about whether a horse or man would win in a race over uneven terrain.

The landlord, Gordon Green, overheard the argument and thought that it could be best settled with a race. Originally the money went only to human runners but this year was the first time the £1000 prize was awarded to the winning horse rider. The event is run by Green Events, the outfit behind the annual Bog Snorkelling championships and a major force in turning Llanwrtyd Wells into the silly sports capital of the UK - if not the world...

To enter next year's race or to find out about more events in the area, go to www.green-events.co.uk