It is the kind of sporting event that could only have evolved out of a bar bet, and that is exactly the origin story behind the Prescott, Arizona Man Against Horse Race that saw its origins four decades ago.
It all began in a bar in 1983, when Gheral Brownlow bet his friend and cowboy Steve Rafters that he could beat his horse, on foot, in a race. The current event includes a 50-mile, 25-mile, and half-marathon race. The horses run alongside the runners and the first horse and rider (or runner) to cross the finish line wins. There are several vet checks for the horses along the route and the time they are stopped for this is subtracted from their overall time. The organizers warn that “the 25- and 50-mile courses are extremely strenuous … should not be undertaken without significant preparation.”
In other words, months of training goes into preparing for the race that includes riding over rough, steep, and rocky terrain. Organizers describe the route as mountainous trails and back roads with an elevation at base camp of approximately 5,000 ft and the 50-mile course climbing to an elevation of 7,500 ft.
