By James McCarthy
BBC Recordsdata
Image supply, Peter Barnett/Man Versus Horse
Image caption, The fade pits man against horse over a 22.5-mile course in Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys
The winner of the gruelling Man v Horse fade has revealed he had been awake for 29 hours forward of the tournament after flying from Tenerife to disclose victory.
Run runner Ricky Lightfoot changed into handiest the third individual to draw shut the fade because it started in 1980.
He informed the BBC he had woken at 06: 00 BST on Friday forward of catching a flight to Manchester at nighttime.
Touchdown at 04: 00 he travelled to Wales, arriving at Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys, at 09: 00 for the fade birth at 11: 00.
Crossing the motorway, the 6ft 4in (1.93m) athlete had no opinion whether or no longer he had won as the of us and animals draw shut slightly totally different routes.
Media caption, Can a human bustle faster than a horse?
After asking around, he learned he had approach came out on high against 1,000 runners and 50 horses with a time of 2: 22: 23.
He took dwelling £3,500 after beating the first horse by bigger than two minutes on the 22.5-mile (36km) course in Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys.
The 37-twelve months-mature Cumbrian stated worthwhile changed into “comely correct, love”.
Image supply, EquinePix Photography
Image caption, Ricky Lightfoot says it changed into “worthy to draw shut the tournament”
“Or no longer it is worthy to draw shut the tournament and beat the horse,” he stated.
“I called my partner and stated: ‘I beat the horse’. And she stated: ‘You are joking?’.
“And I stated: ‘No, I did.’ She changed into love, ‘oh my God!'”
The firefighter stated he had been quietly confident.
“I opinion I might perchance maybe give the horse a correct fade,” he defined.
Image supply, EquinePix Photography
Image caption, Mr Lightfoot’s partner changed into skittish to hear he had beaten all competitors – human and equine
Since his draw shut, he has been asked if he’ll enter the Immense Nationwide next.
“It will seemingly be worthy if I might perchance maybe draw shut the Immense Nationwide,” he stated.
“I’ve never rode a horse in my lifestyles. I once rode a donkey at Blackpool Pleasure Shoreline even though.”
After worthwhile, the daddy of two then made his intention dwelling to Maryport, in Cumbria, as he wanted to be again in work at 07: 30 on Sunday.
Stride director Mike Thomas stated Mr Lightfoot, a member of Cumbria running membership Ellenborough AC, beat the horses “slightly with ease” on Saturday.
The closing time a human beat a horse within the fade changed into in 2007, and the first time changed into in 2004.
Image supply, Ricky Lightfoot
Image caption, Mr Lightfoot, pictured left, with boss and coach Dean Pepper, changed into again at work as a firefighter on Sunday
The fade, which returned after two years attributable to the pandemic, began on tarmac but took in forest tracks and originate moorland.
The jackpot prize for a runner who beats the first horse and rider starts at £500 and can enhance by £500 every twelve months the tournament takes space till it is won.