THE legend of what is undoubtedly one of the world’s most bizarre sporting events lives on after a human won the annual Man v Horse race for just the third time in its 40-year history last weekend.
The aptly named Ricky Lightfoot hot-footed it around the challenging course, trekking around the rugged terrain surrounding Llanwrtyd Wells on Saturday, in a rapid time of 2 hours 22 minutes 23 seconds – beating the first horse home by two minutes and one second.
The event returned after a two-year hiatus following the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s almost as if firefighter Ricky was subconsciously aware of the need to stoke the spirits of event organisers and competitors following the pandemic, which has put a dampener on so many things.
The feat was made even more remarkable when Ricky revealed he had been awake for 29 hours before the race after flying in from Tenerife to claim victory.
He said he had woken at 6am on Friday before catching a flight to Manchester at midnight. Landing at 4am on Saturday, he travelled to Wales, arriving in Llanwrtyd, the UK’s smallest town, at 9am, two hours ahead of the race start, at 11am.
He didn’t even have time to bask in his triumph; the father of two then got in the car and drove five hours home to Maryport, in Cumbria, as he had to be in work 7.30am on Sunday.
The return of Man v Horse saw 1,200 runners battle against a team of 60 horses and riders over 22 miles of Welsh countryside, with participants taking on gruelling ascents and tricky terrain, including bogs, streams, forestry tracks and fields.
Robin Woods was the first local runner home, in a rapid time of 2h 36m 01s, to finish 6th, while Dominic Jones, of Mercia Fell Runners, but from Builth Wells, was just behind in eighth (2:37:44).
Ricky, 37, from Cumbria, took home the coveted title of beating the horse – something that has only been done three times in the 41 races that have been held since the inaugural race in 1980. He also took home £3,500 – the race’s prize pot grows by £500 every year that the horse wins.
Beast had beaten man 24 straight times since then, before Huw Lobb became the first human to taste victory in 2004 – the race’s 25th anniversary. He took home £25,000. Florian Holzinger repeated the feat three years later in 2007 – but horse had reigned supreme for the previous 12 races, before Ricky’s triumph last weekend.
“Congratulations to @rickylightfoot for beating the horses yesterday. First person since 2007 and only the 3rd person ever,” said organisers via their Man V Horse Twitter account on Sunday.
Bob Greenough, director of Green Events, the mad scientists who created the race, paid tribute to Ricky, as well as Eros Adamides, who broke down more barriers by becoming the first blind competitor to enter the race.
“Thank you to all of you competitors who took up the challenge of the Man v Horse race Saturday,” said Bob.
“Also, a big, big thank you to all those volunteer marshals who gave their time to support the event. Without them it would not be possible to stage this event.
“Congratulations to our winner Ricky Lightfoot. Also, to Eros Adamides, the first blind runner to take on the challenge, with his guide Sarah Tizzard, and complete it successfully.
“Don't forget that if you wish to take part next year you should watch the Green Events website page in December where the exact time and date of the online entries opening will be posted.”
The legendary race has pretty legendary foundations, having been cooked up in the back bar of the Neuadd Arms Hotel – the race still starts outside the pub on the town square every year – by two locals, who were discussing whether a human could beat a horse in a long-distance race.
Landlord Gordon Green overheard the discussion and the seed for the race was sewn. Green established Green Events – the umbrella under which the town’s slew of hilarious and insane events calls home, with Man v Horse the longest-standing and most widely known.
If Man v Horse isn’t wacky enough for you, there’s also the Bog Snorkelling World Championships, World Mountain Bike Chariot Racing Championship, where competitors dress like Romans, and the Real Ale Wobble or Ramble – which is essentially a pub crawl via bike or on foot.
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