Flying horses: Steeplechase racing comes to Canterbury this weekend

Steeplechase racer Annie Yeager
Steeplechase racer Annie Yeager finished third at the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup in 2015 on a horse named Sovereign Fund.
Courtesy of Mark Rowland

Few people in Minnesota — or even the Midwest — are familiar with the extreme equestrian sport of steeplechase racing.

The closest analogy might be NASCAR and hurdles combined on horseback. Jockeys and their horses must jump over barriers as tall as 5 feet at breakneck speed. Many horses who start the race don't even finish.

Canterbury Park in Shakopee is hosting a charitable exhibition of the sport this Saturday with hopes that it may host a professional race in the future. That would be a first for Minnesota.

MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Annie Yeager, a steeplechase racer and a Minnesotan. She's returning home to share her experience.

Click on the audio player above to hear their conversation.