GAUCHO DERBY 5th March – 13th March 2020

Laura Redvers and Louise Daly – otherwise known as The Ledbury Ladies – are gearing up for the greatest test of horsemanship and survival skill on Earth from March 3 to March 14, as Laura explains...

As many of you will be aware, in 2017 David and a team of friends led by Sheikh Fahad undertook the Mongol Derby. This is the World’s longest horse race, covering 1000km of the Mongolian Steppe, recreating the horse messenger system developed by Genghis Khan in 1224.

Whilst this was one of the most painful and difficult things he has done it was also hugely rewarding (God knows I’ve had to put up with hour upon hour of stories), and I have secretly been looking forward to finding a challenge for myself (wives are allowed mid-life crises as well!).

Last Autumn it was announced that the Adventurists (the crazy team behind these madcap adventures) were going to be running a new ultra-endurance horse race across Patagonia and the Gaucho Derby was born. David immediately answered the Facebook announcement saying how exciting it looked, so I reminded him that perhaps it was MY turn!

Riding 500km across the foothills of the Andes in Patagonia, in one of the remotest places on earth, with little backup except for some mounted medics (recently introduced to horseriding?!) in one of the toughest horseraces on earth, might seem a little reckless for a mother of three but after 21 years of marriage to someone who appears to do what he wants when he wants, I feel it’s only fair I get a little payback!

The best news is that I have in Louise Daly, the perfect competitive team mate. We have been mistaken for each other for the last decade and now as the "Ledbury Ladies" we will disappear into the Patagonian wilderness for 7 days of relentless mountaineering on horseback in an effort to win the ‘Pioneer’ Gaucho Derby. This will be no riding safari though, as we will be completely self-sufficient for the duration of the race, riding one and leading a pack horse whilst camping out and living on rations that we will take with us.

However we have been training hard, camping out on the Brecon Beacons to test our kit and resolve on one of the nastiest nights of the year and so far we’ve laughed our way through the worst of it. Whilst I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to a few pre-race nerves, we are now raring to catch our flight to Buenos Aires tomorrow night for a few days pre-race training and the start of the Gaucho Derby on 5^th March.

Needless to say, I am writing to ask for sponsorship for our charity the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, which is a cause that we all rely on in times of extreme emergency. Whether driving, farming or involved in sports in the countryside they may be the difference between life or death and without donations they cannot continue to operate. We are carrying all of the costs of this trip and 100% of every donation will go straight to the charity.

If you would like to donate please go to: JustGiving: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ledbury-ladies

If you would like to follow our progress please go to:

THE GAUCHO DERBY 2020

https://www.theadventurists.com/adventures/gaucho-derby/

Once the Race has started, there will be a link on this website, so you will be able to track us on-line and see how we are doing.

Please also follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ledbury_ladies_gauchoderby2020/

We will endeavour to keep a video diary and will upload photos and footage to both Facebook and Instagram whenever possible. However, we have been told that the area that we are racing over is very remote and the chance of any signal will be highly unlikely. If this is the case we will do a blog and send it out to everyone who has supported us, on our return.

Many thanks. Wish us Luck!!!!!

Laura & Louise (Weasel)