22 | The Banda Alumni | Issue 12
Gruelling
Adventure
The Banda extends its congratulations to Aisha Gross ( Class of 2007 ) for completing the Mongolian Derby , alongside 22 other competitors .
An eventer at heart , born and raised in Kenya to polo-playing parents . Her career takes her to London but she escapes frequently back to Kenya and the eventing world . Taking on the Steppe with her two best friends and fellow Team Kenya teammates Keren and Chuyulu .
This is the longest and toughest horse race in the world . We don ’ t say that lightly . It takes 10 days to complete and extends over 1000 kms ( 620 Miles ) through the Mongolian Steppe recreating the horse messenger system developed by Genghis Khan in 1224 . The riders are provided access to 25 - 27 Mongolian horses and pass through 28 support stations . They must change horses every 40 kms ( 25 miles ) at the support stations .