A Minden woman and active-duty U.S. Air Force member is preparing for one of the most demanding equestrian endurance events in the world, a 10-day, 310-mile race across the Patagonian wilderness of Argentina known as the Gaucho Derby.
Cat Rafanello, who moved to Minden in 2022 after being stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, has been offered a bid to compete in the 2027 Gaucho Derby, an extreme test of horsemanship, navigation and survival that requires riders to switch horses throughout the race while traveling through rugged and remote terrain.
“My husband and I moved to Minden in March 2022 from Montana … when I got orders to Barksdale,” Rafanello said. “We brought our three horses, three dogs, three cats, and a plethora of chickens and geese with us to our beautiful little plot in Minden.”
Since then, she said, her family has put down roots in the community.
“My husband opened a mechanic shop, my sister and her husband have started a farm and are involved with the Minden Farmer’s Market, we are here to stay,” Rafanello said.
That sense of permanence, she said, has given her a strong base as she prepares for an international challenge that began with a simple moment of inspiration.
“I was listening to a Podcast about an Endurance Rider that I really look up to, and she had run in the Gaucho,” Rafanello said. “Someone whispered in my ear just then ‘Why don’t you just apply and see what happens?’”
Long before that, Rafanello said, horses had already set the course of her life. One experience in Montana still guides how she approaches riding and training.
“I had the opportunity to help a ranch family re-train one of their horses,” she said. “This horse had had a rough go … No one could ride him; he was a flight risk and dangerous.”
After months of working with the horse, she said, the experience reshaped her understanding of animals and their behavior.
“He taught me how to speak their language and more importantly how to listen,” Rafanello said. “He returned to his family, and they had another chance at life together. Happy ending all around. He was such a special being.”
That connection to horses also feeds her long-term goal of becoming a large-animal veterinarian, a path that will continue to intersect with her Gaucho Derby experience.
“Having access to international veterinarians … and with horses from a completely different part of the world is what is the most fascinating to me,” Rafanello said. “I cannot wait to spend a few days … observing them and learning as much as I can.”
Her studies have already changed how she trains and competes.
“Endurance Racing, as an equestrian sport, is the most horse-welfare-first sport I have experienced,” Rafanello said. “Nutrition, proper conditioning, soft tissue health, saddle and bridle fit, everything matters.”
Preparing for the race while serving full time in the Air Force and completing pre-veterinary coursework has made time management one of her biggest challenges.
“Scheduling my Endurance Races and organizing my personal life feels impossible,” Rafanello said, noting she is still completing her pre-veterinary school requirements while training and working full time.
She said the structure and demands of military life have helped her meet those pressures.
“The Air Force shot me out of a cannon 14.5 years ago and has continued to challenge me, mostly mentally,” Rafanello said. “Stay flexible, be strong, hold accountability, be open minded, perpetuate change.”
One technical skill she continues to focus on is navigation, which can determine success or failure in a race that spans hundreds of miles of wilderness.
“Knowing how to read maps, use your GPS, and plot your course is imperative,” Rafanello said. “I am so lucky to have resources in the military that can help me practice navigation skills.”
Even with months of preparation ahead, Rafanello said the possibility of falling short still looms large.
“Not finishing,” she said, is what scares her most. “The Endurance community motto is ‘To finish is to win.’”
For her, however, success in Patagonia will not be measured by a place in the standings.
“Success to me is synonymous with ‘connection,’” Rafanello said. “I want to connect with the horses, my fellow riders … and the beauty. I want to hear the stories and completely immerse myself in it all.”
To help cover the cost of training, travel and equipment, a GoFundMe campaign titled Help Cat’s Journey to the 2027 Gaucho Derby! has been set up. Rafanello said the response has been overwhelming.
“I am so humbled by the interest in this journey,” she said. “Horses built the western world, and they continue to serve civilizations across the globe.”
As she looks ahead to Argentina in 2027, Rafanello said she hopes her experience will encourage others to take their own chances.
“You’ve got to find reasons to make your heart beat faster, and trust that the universe is going to send you opportunities to do just that,” she said. “TAKE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES!”
