They didn’t exactly win at a canter, but the male and female competitors triumphed at this year’s ‘Man v Horse’ competition at Loch Ness Riding in Dores.
There was a new circuit for this year’s event, which was run from Drummond Farm as a loop course of 16 miles. This route offered resplendent views and was designed to pit man against horse in as fair a way as possible.
The fastest man and winner of the competition was Michael O’Donnell who runs for Inverness Harriers. He completed the course in one hour 49 minutes and 25 seconds.
The fastest woman was another Harrier, Caroline Marwick, for the third consecutive year.
The spot for fastest horse was shared by mother and daughter Sarah and Holly Walker who travelled north from Glasgow.
All proceeds from the event went to Highland Hospice and the South Loch Ness Access Group, which hosted the event.
All competitors who completed the course received medals or rosettes, and there were trophies for the fastest horse, fastest runner, fastest woman runner and the Jacobite quaich for the fastest overall participant.
The entry fee for the charitable event was £30 per runner or rider.
Organiser Candy Cameron of Loch Ness Riding said: “The runners did really well this year. They had very fast times and we had about three or four runners coming before the first horse.
“It was definitely more of a runners’ course this time and we will have to tweak it to make it better for the horses next time.
“But, to be honest, I don’t know if that would have made a difference this time as the runners did so well.
“I think this course made it much more competitive between the runners and the riders. If anything, we will need to tweak it in favour of the horses.
“There was really good craic after the race, it was a great atmosphere.”
