Dubbed “the longest and toughest horse race in the world,” riders from all over the globe will travel to Mongolia this August to compete in the annual Mongol Derby, a treacherous, 10-day pilgrimage on horseback. And one of them lives in North Denver.
Based on the ancient postal system Genghis Khan used to deliver messages across his empire, the race pits nearly 40 riders against rugged and dangerous terrain for eight hours a day across the Mongolian steppe between August 7-16. Only about 4% of racing applicants are accepted. Gideon Kotkowski, a Sloan’s Lake neighborhood resident, made the cut this year.
Kotkowski had just graduated college in 2018 when he discovered the Mongol Derby on social media. He was “broke as a nail” at that time and it’s an expensive adventure. But after going down the rabbit hole and learning more, he put it on his bucket list.
“I actually printed out some pictures of the Derby of that year and put them up in my bedroom so that every day as I woke up and went to sleep, it was the first and last thing I saw,” Kotkowski said. “And I thought to myself, ‘One day, I’m going to do this.’”
Originally from El Paso, Texas, Kotkowski has been riding horses since he was a child. At about 14 years old, he said he was lucky to land at a polo ranch in El Paso called “Los Amigos.” That turned into a lustrous college polo career at Texas A&M, where Kotkowski snagged a couple of national championships.
But even the most experienced riders are in for a big challenge in Mongolia; some don’t even finish the race. At a distance equal to riding from Kansas City to Denver, riders travel over 60 miles per day, changing horses every 25 miles.
And these aren’t polo-ish, country-club style horses; they are semi-wild, which Kotkowski described as “domesticated but feral.”
“As an adrenaline junkie and a horseback rider, this is absolutely the pinnacle of the sport,” he said. “It tests your physical endurance, your horsemanship, your ability to connect with over 40 horses across the entire race. You’re riding Mongolian ponies, so they’re still pretty crazy.”
In 2021, the Equestrianists (the organization that puts on the Mongol Derby) partnered with the Mongolian nonprofit Steppe and Hoof, which helps to preserve and enhance the lifestyles of the remaining nomadic herders and their families in the country.
From a total population of 3.2 million Mongolian people, only about 169,000 nomadic families remain today. Each rider is asked to raise money for Steppe and Hoof as a thank you to the herders. View Kotkowski’s athlete pamphlet at this link to help with his fundraising efforts.
For more from Kotkowski, check out the Q&A below.
Renfrow: What was your reaction to getting that acceptance email?
Kotkowski: I was pumped. But my hands started clamming up, as they are now and anytime I talk about it. I got really nervous. It got real really quickly and now it’s going to happen here in August. It’s like a dream come true for me. I just get chills thinking about being able to do this. Horses in Mongolia and for horse people, it’s one of the craziest things. You can effectively trace all horse sports back to Mongolia. It’s amazing.
Renfrow: What goes into the preparation or training process for something so unique like this?
Kotkowski: So, these last few months, I’ve been training as if I’m going to run a marathon. That’s a good type of training because it’s endurance, cardio and heart. As far as replicating the race, riding eight hours a day is nearly impossible to find. There are some local Facebook groups that I’ve tapped into with folks who might have an extra horse that needs help being worked. So, I’ll go out to their barn and help them muck stalls and in exchange I get to ride their ponies. I’ve been to some trail rides as well … Just trying to get as much saddle time as possible.
Renfrow: Riding semi-wild horses will likely be much different than ranch ponies. Is that nerve-wracking?
Kotkowski: When it comes to riding different horses, I feel like I might be at an advantage because coming from the polo discipline, you grow up playing all sorts of different horses. I’ve got a method to the madness about picking up what kind of horse I’m riding pretty quickly … That part of the race, to me, is just exciting. I’m not as nervous as I am just pumped that I get to ride descendants of the great Genghis Khan ponies that helped conquer the world.
Renfrow: Is it enough to just go, be enchanted and enjoy the race, or is the competitor in you dying to win it?
Kotkowski: To me, I’m going there with the plan to win. I certainly am and I continue to tell myself that I’m not going there with any other mission but to win. However, this is much more than just a race. You’re riding with 35 other athletes who are just as crazy as you are and who are just as passionate about horse racing as you are. At the end of the day, finishing the race would be enough of a win.
Renfrow: What’s the most intimidating part of the race for you?
Kotkowski: The things that I can’t plan for, which are the weather, or what I’m going to eat (lots of mutton, apparently), or where I’m going to be when inevitably I’m going to have to go to the restroom or something like that.
Renfrow: Is there a benefit to training in Colorado ahead of time?
Kotkowski: Absolutely. The elevation training. Being at elevation and horseback riding is a unique advantage for me. There will be mountains to climb, there will be hills to come down from and understanding a horse’s sure-footedness is a big part of the training as well.
Renfrow: Lastly, you get a 5kg backpack (about 11 pounds) for the race. What are some essentials you’re bringing with you?
Kotkowski: (Laughs) A Leatherman multitool for sure, electrolyte packets, and dude, I don’t think I could do this race without my Honey Stingers. Need those. And the last piece I’m not going without is anti-chafing powders and creams, 100%.
