1. Rider Responsibility

  • Riders are expected to navigate independently using maps, compasses, and GPS trackers (for safety monitoring only).
  • Each competitor must carry their mandatory kit: first aid, water supply, nutrition, weather gear, and emergency beacon.
  • Riders are personally responsible for their welfare and decision-making during the race. Organizers will intervene only in emergencies.

2. Horse Welfare

  • Horses are the heart of the Derby. Their well-being is prioritized over competition.
  • Every horse undergoes vet checks at the start, relay stations, and finish of each stage.
  • Riders are penalized or disqualified for:
    • Over-riding or pushing a horse beyond safe limits
    • Arriving with an unfit horse (dehydrated, lame, exhausted)
    • Ignoring veterinary advice
  • Riders must change horses at designated relay stations, reflecting the historic postal relay tradition.

3. Stages & Survival Tasks

  • The Derby consists of five stages across plains, mountains, rivers, and steppes.
  • At checkpoints, riders complete cultural and survival tasks, such as:
    • Shooting traditional archery on horseback
    • Preparing a nomadic meal over fire
    • Catching and saddling a semi-wild horse
    • Surviving a navigation challenge with minimal equipment
  • Tasks test both equestrian skills and adaptation to nomadic life.

4. Navigation & Checkpoints

  • Riders must navigate between designated checkpoints (örtoos) without external assistance.
  • GPS devices are carried for tracking but cannot be used for navigation (safety-only mode).
  • Missed checkpoints result in penalties or time deductions.

5. Scoring & Penalties

  • The Derby uses a combined scoring system:
    1. Time – how fast the stage is completed
    2. Tasks – successful completion of cultural/survival challenges
    3. Horse welfare – penalties for poor condition of the horse
  • This ensures that the winner is not just the fastest, but the best all-around horseman/horsewoman.

6. Accommodation & Food

  • Riders stay in a mix of gers (yurts), tents, and open campsites, just like nomadic herders.
  • Meals include both traditional Mongolian cuisine and energy-focused racing meals.
  • Cultural evenings with music, throat singing, and storytelling are integrated into camp nights.

7. Safety & Emergency Protocols

  • Each rider is equipped with an emergency tracking beacon connected to the central command team.
  • Mobile veterinary and medical units patrol the course.
  • Riders can activate “SOS mode” for immediate evacuation if needed.
  • A Race Marshal monitors fairness, safety, and horse welfare at every stage.

8. Fair Play & Code of Conduct

  • Respect for horses, fellow riders, and nomadic hosts is mandatory.
  • Sabotage, cheating, or disrespect leads to instant disqualification.
  • Alcohol consumption is strictly prohibited during active racing stages.