The race takes place over land made for giants.
Ohinewairua Station, near Taihape, is a vast, hill country sheep, beef and deer farm. It climbs and falls over 7500 hectares and at its peak reaches almost 1200 metres.
Recently Ohinewairua and its towering hills were the setting for a marathon with that pitched two-legged runners against four-legged competitors and their riders.
It's the fourth year Human v Horse has been held in New Zealand and runners and riders travelled from as far away as north of Auckland and Dunedin to compete.
Organiser Lizzie Maundrell says Human v Horse is based on a similar event that has been running in Wales for 35 years.
"I thought New Zealand could do it better. We have way better terrain. So the idea is to find the runner that can beat the horse over an endurance distance."
Auckland competitor Nic Bambury was there with her running shoes on and was taken aback by the imposing surrounds.
"It's pretty terrifying. I think I've bitten off more than I can chew. I'm not very good at assessing course maps so I look at it and go 'that's a nice pattern'.
"I've been training on a lovely undulating golf course put it that way...and I thought that was pretty hard out."
Endurance rider Don Sagar, who was turning 77 at his next birthday, came to Human v Horse with his steed Moonstar and the desire to win.
"He has a massive trot on him and he likes hills just like a goat...He may look docile now but he'll liven up when we get going I can tell you now."
Twice in its 35 year history a runner has beaten a horse in the Welsh event.
