The Gaucho Derby is the younger, shorter, and harder sibling of the Mongol Derby. Launched by The Equestrianists in 2020 after a decade of running the Mongol Derby, it was built from the ground up around the landscape, history and horses of Patagonia and the gauchos who work there.
The pitch from the organisers is straightforward: this is the greatest test of horsemanship and wilderness skills on earth. Most participants who have done both races back the claim.
How the race differs from the Mongol Derby
500km across Patagonia, over 10 days. The course is broken into 40km or shorter vetting legs, but riders do not change horse at every section. Riders carry their own camp kit (tent, stove, sleeping system, food, riding essentials) in a saddle bag weighing no more than 22 pounds.
Where the Mongol Derby is fast and open across the Steppe, the Gaucho Derby is technical. The Patagonian terrain (high mountains, glaciated valleys, dense Lenga forest, river crossings, peat bogs) rewards careful navigation and survival craft over flat-out speed. The horses can''t run out of steam because the terrain won''t allow it.
The other major difference: every night is spent camping or, occasionally, at a remote estancia. There is no comfortable ger and family hospitality like Mongolia. Riders sleep wherever they end the day.
What the riding is actually like
Patagonian horses (criollo and criollo-cross) are bred for tough terrain and long days. They are less wild than the Mongolian horses, but the riding is harder because the terrain is. Steep ascents on loose footing, descents that require dismounting and leading, river crossings where you have to swim with the horse, weather that shifts from heat to snow in an afternoon.
Top finishers cover the route in 8 to 10 days. Vet checks at every leg. Welfare of the horse is paramount.
Who enters and what it costs
Around 25 to 35 riders accepted each year. Entry by application and interview, similar to the Mongol Derby. The Equestrianists are looking for documented adventure experience and demonstrated navigation skill alongside riding ability. Past finishers have come from polo, eventing, ranch work, and long-distance trail riding.
Entry fee for 2027 is around USD $19,000. Mandatory charity fundraising on top.
Training and preparation
This is the harder race to train for. Mongol Derby training is mostly endurance fitness and getting comfortable on unfamiliar horses. Gaucho Derby training adds:
- Multi-day self-supported wilderness travel
- Navigation in mountain terrain with no marked trails
- Camp craft including stove use, water purification, weather assessment
- River crossing technique on horseback
- Pack management and saddle bag organisation under 22 pounds
Several finishers have prepared by riding in Patagonia ahead of the race. The Equestrianists have a list of estancias that work as training bases for incoming riders.
A note for British and European riders
The Gaucho Derby runs in February (Southern Hemisphere late summer). For UK and European riders, this means you''re training through a British or European winter for an event in Patagonian summer conditions. Plan for an acclimatisation week in country before the race, and train indoors when needed without losing endurance volume.
Saddl''s take
Of the named bucket-list horse races, this is the one we''d most readily recommend to a UK rider with serious mountain adventure experience. The terrain rewards British riders who have done multi-day rides in Wales or the Highlands. The cultural element (riding alongside working gauchos, sleeping rough in genuinely remote country) is in our view the most authentic experience among the global ultra-endurance races.
If you want the Patagonian riding experience without the race, the commercial estancia rides in Argentina deliver much of the landscape and culture. Start with Riding Holidays in Argentina for operators worth booking through.
Related Saddl content
- Mongol Derby: the longer, faster, more famous sibling race
- Riding Holidays in Argentina: estancia rides for those not racing
- Tevis Cup: the American 100-mile single-day equivalent
- Bucket-list Equestrian Challenges: the full Saddl list