Ben set for a wild ride

Riding semi-wild horses for 1000km across Mongolian wilderness with the possibility of losing a horse, becoming severely dehydrated or losing his way is not enough to put Ben Wilks off the adventure of a lifetime.

The Katikati man will be taking on the Mongol Derby - the longest and toughest horse race in the world - in August, admitting that not knowing what he will be facing until he is in the middle of the Mongolian Steppe is a scary thought. But it was the adrenalin rush and a sense of adventure that prompted the 24-year-old to apply with a friend from Taranaki, and the pair were shocked to find they were selected as two of the 30 riders from across the world.

He will ride about 25 horses for about 40km each before reaching a vet, doctor and food checkpoint and being allocated the next horse.

"From what I've read, you might jump on a horse and it'll be fine and you might jump on another and it might bolt off in the wrong direction," Mr Wilks told the Bay of Plenty Times.

He will rely on his lifetime of experience with horses on his parents' Katikati farm to deal with the unpredictable Mongolian horses and hopes his years of breaking in ponies will help him.

Survival skills will be important to deal with the conditions and there is a 5kg luggage limit. Mr Wilks will take a set of clothes, camera, sleeping bag, an extra jacket, map and compass, duct tape and a heavy duty needle to fix any broken gear. Competitors either stay with Mongolian herders or camp, tackling unfamiliar terrain and eating food such as fermented horse milk and goat stews.

"It'll be the hardest thing mentally and physically I've ever done and I'm interested to see how it goes," he said. "Crossing the finish line in one piece is probably the prize."

Mr Wilks will move home from Thames in April to begin his three months of full-time training, riding as much as he can and practising navigating with a map and compass through the Kaimai Range. He needs to raise a minimum of 1000 ($2060) for the event's official charity, Cool Earth, and his chosen charity, Kiwi Care Team.

Mr Wilks also needs to raise the 7995 entry fee to cover the 25 to 27 race horses, three training horses, vets and medics for the rider and horses, the 25 stations and a tracking device. The race begins on August 5.

The Mongol Derby

* The 1000km course recreates Chinggis Khaan's legendary empire-busting postal system, with riders changing horse every 40km, and living with herders or camping under the stars.

* The 2015 Derby will run from August 5 to 16, with pre-race training from August 2 to 5.

* Help Ben get to Mongolia: Follow the "Adventures of Ben Wilks" on Facebook.