A Journey Across the Mongolian Steppe
Next month, Jenn Laidlaw from Humboldt County will make history as the first local from the Lost Coast to compete in the Mongol Derby. This 1,000-kilometer (more than 600-mile) race across the Mongolian steppe is known as “the longest and toughest horse race on Earth.” Riders will mount semi-feral horses each day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., traversing landscapes that once carried messengers of Genghis Khan nearly 900 years ago.
The race takes place over rugged terrain, with riders navigating between 26 horse stations. At each station, they swap horses and refuel, ensuring their mounts are in great health for the next leg of the journey. The event’s website emphasizes that there is no marked course, no packed lunches, and no beds to sleep in. Instead, it’s an adventure that combines endurance, horsemanship, and the wild beauty of Mongolia.
The course-sponsoring organization, the Equestrianists, aims to deliver the greatest equine adventure in the world, featuring high passes, valleys, wooded hills, river crossings, wetlands, dunes, and open steppe. It's a far cry from the quiet community of Fieldbrook, where Laidlaw grew up.
From Fieldbrook to the Mongolian Steppe
Laidlaw moved to Fieldbrook when she was around 6 or 7 years old. She attended Fieldbrook Elementary School, where her class had just over a dozen students, and graduated from McKinleyville High School in 2004. Her early love for horses came through involvement in 4-H and FFA, along with riding lessons. However, it was the Humboldt County Fair that truly sparked her passion for horse racing.
“I fell in love with horse racing at the Humboldt County Fair,” she said. “I was supposed to be in the barn getting my animals ready, but I’d be on the track grooming horses for others. My mom hated that, but that’s where I fell in love with it.”
On a whim, Laidlaw applied to and was accepted by the University of Kentucky. She moved across the country, made new friends, and began managing farming operations. By 2019, she was working at Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky — one of the best thoroughbred farms in the world. There, she managed between 100 and 150 pregnant mares each year, overseeing the birth of approximately 100 to 150 foals annually.
She ran the barn for five or six years before becoming the assistant broodmare manager and eventually taking over as the manager in 2019. She worked with some of the most exceptional horses in the industry.
In 2023, Laidlaw took on a new role managing Blue Diamond Stud’s Stonereath Farm outside of Paris, Kentucky. She accepted the position literally the same day she was accepted into the Mongol Derby.
Preparing for the Adventure
Laidlaw learned about the derby from a former roommate who had participated in the event. While she has a lifetime of experience working with horses, her busy schedule as a farm manager doesn’t always allow for regular riding.
“I don’t ride that often, honestly,” she said. “I just thought, ‘I’ll apply for it. It’ll be something fun to say I tried.’ Then I got the call, and I was like, ‘you’ve got to be kidding me.’ I figured, ‘what could go wrong? Let’s go on an adventure and see what we can do.’”
Training for the race, which includes the Mongol Derby Academy, began this week. The 10-day race will officially start on August 4. After flying into Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, Laidlaw will trek out to the steppe, where she will be given freedom to navigate the course.
At each of the 26 horse stations, riders draw lots to select from 1,500 horses prepared for the event. These horses, smaller than those commonly ridden in the U.S., range between 12 and 14 hands. They are a source of immense pride for the local communities along the route.
“Everything’s well kept, and it’s a big area of pride for the locals,” Laidlaw said. “They want their horses out there running. They look forward to the event. The horses are semi-feral, so they’ve been ridden before, but not pampered or kept in barns every day.”
Embracing the Journey
Laidlaw isn’t aiming to win the event, which celebrates horsemanship over competition. Instead, she wants to experience the journey and connect with the local community. She has been in contact with three other riders and hopes to navigate the course together.
She has been preparing physically and mentally for the race, focusing on cardio and riding. She also knows the challenges ahead: “You’re going to get tired. You’re going to have a bad day. It might rain. But I’ve been through some tough stuff. I heard you can do anything for 10 seconds, and then you just start counting again.”
For Laidlaw, this race is the culmination of many life-changing decisions — moving to Kentucky for school, pursuing her dreams in horse breeding, and now competing in one of the most challenging races in the world. Despite her global adventures, she still holds a deep love for Humboldt County, particularly the Oyster Fest in Arcata and the Humboldt County Fair, where she has even bred horses that competed in the fair’s races.
“There are amazing things to see there,” she said. “You take it for granted while you live there, but every time I return, I’m in awe of how beautiful it is.”
