SHAKOPEE, MN – The debut of Extreme Skijoring at Canterbury Park Saturday was, by any measure, a resounding success.  Over 2000 fans packed the facility on a picture perfect Minnesota day filled with brilliant sunshine and temperatures hovering above freezing.

Skijoring features a skier being pulled by a rope attached to a horse as they race around the track and dodge gates, hit jumps and collect rings.

For many participants, as well as spectators, it was the first event of its kind they had seen.

“This is really cool to blend skiing and horses together,” said University of Wisconsin River Falls rodeo team member Laura Holt.  “I absolutely would do it again.”

Holt was asked by a friend if she would help out with her horse as a rider for the event.  It was a path similar to the one taken by Long Lake, MN resident Blake Kruger.

Kruger, celebrating his birthday on Saturday, had seen the event on a large stage in Steamboat Springs, CO and jumped at the chance to participate.

“A friend of mine asked if I’d ride today,” he said. “I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

Nobody told the over 90 participants that it would be easy.

You don’t have to be small and quick to be a successful skijoring horse either.

The racing was intense and competitive.

The freestyle competition thrilled the crowd with aerial acrobatics.