Olivia Hankel finishes 1,000 kilometer race on semi-wild horses
HERMISTON — What began as a dream turned into the adventure of a lifetime for Olivia Hankel, who recently completed the Mongol Derby — one of the world’s toughest horse races.
Hankel, 27, of Hermiston, was one of 45 riders from around the world who competed in the race Aug. 4–13 across the rugged Mongolian steppe.
“I feel like it’s a body, soul, spirit challenge,” she said. “Every aspect of you is put through the ringer. Physically, it was really tough.”
Riders endured up to 12 relentless hours a day in the saddle on semi-wild horses, covering 1,000 kilometers — roughly 621 miles — during the course of 10 grueling days.
Hankel spent several hours and days riding through high mountain passes, vast valleys, wooded hills, river crossings, wetlands, sand dunes and wide-open steppe. The Mongolian landscape reminded her of Eastern Oregon’s rolling hills, she said, but the experience was “surreal” and completing the race fulfilled a lifelong dream.
Handling the horses
Horsemanship in Mongolia differs significantly from traditional methods in the United States. While American training emphasizes breaking and managing horses to build a bond, Mongolian horses typically roam freely in large herds, until horse wranglers round them up when needed and select steeds from dozens of semi-wild animals.
“Some of the horses are used for racing and are a little more familiar with being handled,” she said. “But many of them are essentially wild. Saddling and bridling them could be a challenge. They’re small, but they’re incredibly strong and have more endurance than any of my horses back home.”
Hankel had just three days of training on semi-wild horses in Mongolia before the race, riding a few to get a feel for them.
Before the race, she spent two years training in Baker City. sShe said, adjusting from trained horses to semi-wild ones was one of her biggest challenges.
“Everything hurt, my knees were swollen and I got bucked off my first horse, so I was pretty sore,” she said.
A few days into the race, Hankel said her body was in pain, but by the fourth day, she had adapted and grown stronger.
Racing like Khan’s riders
According to the Mongol Derby website, the inspiration for the race comes from Genghis Khan’s much earlier version of the Pony Express.
Khan in 1224 set up the world’s first long-distance postal system using a vast network of “morin urtuu” — Mongolian for horse station. The stations were about 35 kilometers apart. Khan’s messengers rode horses at a gallop non-stop, changing to a fresh horse at each station, to deliver messages across the empire within days. The system gave the Mongol forces a major tactical advantage and remained in use until the 1950s.
The Mongol Derby began in 2009. Like Khan’s messengers, the modern riders switch horses at each station. But now the riders navigate the course with GPS devices — the course is not marked — and they have limited outside support.
The race tests not only riding skill but endurance, navigation and survival skills — and determination — to cover the 1,000 kilometer Mongolian wilderness.
“The course is set up in a loop, so we started and finished at the same camp,” Hankel said. “You ride to different horse stations, which are run by nomadic families. The organizers pay them to use their herds, and every 25 to 40 kilometers, you stop at a new family’s station and get a fresh horse.”
Each host family along the route prepared meals for the riders, Hankel said, with offerings varying based on what was available at the time. The food was traditional to the region, often limited to what nomadic families could access on the steppe such as meat and dairy.
Testing her limits
Hankel said she faced added uncertainty heading into the race due to ongoing autoimmune health issues she has battled since childhood. The physical demands of training had taken a toll on her body and she wasn’t sure how she would hold up during the race.
“I anticipated it being really difficult physically,” she said. “During training, my body didn’t respond well and I honestly didn’t know how it was going to go.”
Still, Hankel said she felt a strong sense of faith that she would be given the strength to finish.
“Every day I would get to the end and think, ‘This is so tough. I don’t know how I’m going to do this again tomorrow.’ But each day, whatever issues came up, my body would somehow reset, and I felt (God’s) grace for the next day,” she said.
Beyond the physical challenge of fatigue and exhaustion, Hankel said one of the most meaningful parts of the experience was unplugging from modern life.
“For 10 days, you don’t have access to the internet or your phone and you can’t call home,” she said. “It forces you to trust yourself. It really boosted my confidence. I feel like I proved to myself that I can do anything.”
The next challenge
Hankel finished 25th in the race. Nineteen of the 45 riders either dropped out or were bumped down to the Adventure Class, a category for participants who left the race or needed assistance. This allowed them to keep riding but removed them from competition.
All the contestants received a traditional Mongolian scarf, a symbolic gift meant of honor. The gesture reflects local customs and serves as a cultural welcome for everyone in the race.
After fulfilling her dream of completing the race Hankel said she plans to relax at home and spend time with her family. However, she is considering entering another major race, the Gaucho Derby, a similar endurance event held in Patagonia, hosted by the same organizers.
Hankel said the whole experience reinforced her belief that no matter the obstacles, if you have a dream, there’s always a way to make it happen.
“The idea feels romantic — riding wild horses across Mongolia sounds like a dream and that’s what initially drew me in,” she said. “But the reality is incredibly tough.”
Hankel advised anyone considering the race to be sure it’s something they truly want to do. She emphasized the importance of being mentally prepared for the challenge, staying determined and believing that anything is possible.