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Man To Race Horse In UAE Desert
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An American
runner races a horse in Dubai
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DUBAI,
Feb. 6 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - In the United Arab Emirates, one of
America's leading long distance runners is challenging a top endurance race
horse, Al-Barraq, to a contest over 80 kilometers (50 miles) on Wednesday, news
agencies reported.
The
race between man and horse is believed to be the first of its kind in the Middle
East, where endurance horse racing is becoming increasingly popular, reported
BBC's online news service.
An Arabian endurance horse like Al-Barraq might be expected to trot and canter
across 80 km of desert terrain in about five hours.
But
rules about the fair treatment of horses in endurance competitions dictate that
Al-Barraq must have two 40-minute breaks for food and water during the race, and
that is where the American runner Tom Johnson hopes to make up his time, the BBC
reported.
Johnson
will be eating and drinking on the run - giving him effectively an 80-minute
head start.
Johnson,
42, takes part in long distance runs of 80, 100 and 160 km around the world. He
has competed against fellow human runners in South Africa, China, Japan and
Switzerland and he holds the North American record for running 100 km. It took
him six and a half hours.
Al-Barraq
came in among the first 20 in endurance racing's World Cup in 2001.
The
desert course at Al-Wathba, near Abu Dhabi, has been specially chosen to test
both man and beast. Al-Barraq's rider, Jennifer Nice, says her two-legged
opponent will have the advantage on the uphill sections of the course but on the
flat, four legs will be a benefit.
Both
she and Johnson believe it is going to be a close-run thing.
"It all happened in a flash when the Al-Wathba director Salim Nice came
with this suggestion," said Johnson, whose wife Marcia Smith is one of the
three American riders in the President's Cup race, UAE daily newspaper, Khaleej
Times, reported.
"
I am not 100 per cent race fit because this is my off season," he
continued. "However, I think I will have the edge over the horse."
"I
have been in competitions for over 13 years and this is the first time I take on
a horse. The track at Al-Wathba Village is not a problem because most of the
competitions have been in similar conditions and I am looking forward to a
highly competitive race," he added.
Jennifer,
who has ridden horses in similar events in the U.S., shared the same sentiment
of Johnson. "The horses have won in the earlier rounds, but Tom is a top
class runner and [it] would be an interesting race."
Nice
said the race is unique by itself and a kind of entertainment for the officials,
riders and the crew who will be present at the venue before Thursday's race.
"We
try to create more pre-ride activities. It is something that the riders and the
crew with the officials who will be arriving for Thursday's race can
enjoy," said Salim, who has come out with some unique ideas since joining
Al-Wathba in 2001.
"Tom
(Johnson) is a reputed long distance runner and Al-Baraaq and Jennifer too are
quite known in the endurance world. It will be a good contest," he added.
In
June 2000, a legendary Man versus Horse Race in mid Wales witnessed 35-year-old
Royal Marine Corporal Mark Croasdale narrowly losing to a four-legged challenger
over a grueling 22-mile course. He lost by a mere 50 seconds, according to the
BBC News Online.
Cpl
Croasdale - 22nd at this year's London Marathon - won in a time of two hours 10
minutes and nine seconds.
His equine opponent, Roama, ridden by local woman Jackie Gilmore, finished in
two hours 22 minutes 41 seconds.
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