Chad Johnson Wasn't the Only Man to Beat a Horse Saturday

On a day that the United States had two unexpected winners of big horse races -- Chad Johnson showing a man can beat a horse at Cincinnati's River Downs race track and Rags to Riches showing a female can beat a male at the Belmont Stakes -- the United Kingdom also had a horse racing upset.

Florian Holginger finished 11 minutes before the first horse to win the annual Man versus Horse Marathon in Wales. The Marathon -- which at 22 miles is a bit shorter than a standard human-only marathon -- is a sporting event that started the way so many great things start, as an argument at a bar:

The event started in 1980, when local landlord Gordon Green overheard a discussion between two men in his pub, the Neuadd Arms. One man suggested that over a significant distance across country, man was equal to any horse. Green decided that the challenge should be tested in full public view, and organised the first event.

As it turns out, the vast majority of the time, the horse is superior. Holginger is only the second man to beat all the horses in the 28-year history of the event. So congratulations to Florian Holginger and Chad Johnson for showing yesterday that man can beat horse even at horse's own game. Our whole species thanks you, gentlemen.

(That picture isn't from the Man versus Horse Marathon. I'm not sure what's going on in that picture, actually, but it looks like that man might be racing that horse through a river or something.)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-10-2007 @ 7:20AM

Glenn Posner said...

Good Chad....Now how about something involving BRAINS?

6-10-2007 @ 8:35AM

Shannon said...

Ok Chad....now impress us actually beating the horse without a lead. Stick to football and lose the ego.

6-10-2007 @ 8:48AM

Kim said...

So what's the big deal? Sounds like ANY average speedster from the NFL or track would have won this race easily. The horse spotted him a freaking 100 yard lead in a 220 yard race! What a joke! He ought to be ashamed by not making it more competitive. Sure, bring on Bryant, Gordon, or LaBron. But please, please save Mayweather for last because he wouldn't have anything left after getting his head handed to him by Floyd. So would Floyd have to spot him 3 power punches with his hands down? Comon Chad, you are a very good wide receiver but stick to that.

6-10-2007 @ 10:02AM

DJ Speed said...

Oh, quit whining. You can't take that guy seriously. And, if you don't take him seriously, he's seriously funny. Yeah, he runs off at the mouth. But at least he's hilarious about it. And, when he screws up? He doesn't blame other people. Complain about TO or Moss. Ocho-Cinco is just the class clown of the NFL, who happens to be an excellent receiver. I think it's great just to wait and see what hes gonna do next. It's almost like Coyote and Road Runner in real life.

6-10-2007 @ 10:11AM

Andy said...

I believe Frank Budd beat a horse in the
1960s, so it has been done before

6-10-2007 @ 11:11AM

Dan Benton said...

I read that headline and thought for sure that Michael Vick was in more trouble.

6-10-2007 @ 11:25AM

Martin said...

What's your problem with the picture. Haven't you ever seen water polo?

6-10-2007 @ 12:28PM

Sidney said...

Ok, so Chad beat a horse with a huge headstart. Try doing it without one. What would happen? Anyone know? Yeah, the horse would crush him.

6-10-2007 @ 1:08PM

These sorts of contests are pretty silly. Remember all the hoopla when Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in a tennis match. People forget that Riggs was maybe the 10,000th best player in the world at the time, was limited to one serve and had to defend the entire court, including the doubles court. Yet the news reports all stated what a tremendous win this was for a woman tennis player. When you don't have an even playing field, what's the point? But congratulations, Chad, for being half as fast as a horse.

6-11-2007 @ 8:19AM

Myshiloh said...

Let's see him race Rags To Riches without a headstart!

6-19-2007 @ 2:14PM

LoveThemHaters said...

OMG!!!! Hate is such an ugly thing and it looks like it was in full swing here. It's about a charity event that these guys happened to participate in. If you weren't so busy hating any and everything you've never done or will be able to do you might discover that some people do things for the good of others. Yeah, dud is pretty funny and obviously he thinks of others. It was for CHARITY and all they got was a few lines in an article. Next year YOU GO RACE THE HORSE so someone can call you a "loud-mouthed idiot" for doing something good. Tell us how it feels EGO MEN & WOMEN. You don't stand a chance against a snail! Good luck.