Canterbury spokesman: riding accident worst in 25 years
Officials at Canterbury Park said a rider who fell from a horse is talking and moving his hands and feet.
Scott Stevens was in the lead when his horse fell late Friday evening.
Park spokesman Jeff Maday said three riders directly behind Stevens swerved out of the way and also fell.
"So it was similar to a chain reaction, if you want to put it in terms of what we can think of on the highway," Maday said. "One stops and the others have no out. That's basically what happened."
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Stevens was airlifted to North Memorial hospital with serious injuries to his lungs, ribs, and back. His horse was euthanized and sent to researchers at the University of Minnesota to determine the cause of the accident.
The other riders had back injuries but won't need surgery. Their horses weren't injured.
Maday said the accident was the worst in the track's twenty-five year history.
"You know, they're part of a family -- we bet on them, we yell and we cheer," Maday said. "But at the end of the day, everyone appreciates what these riders do and when something like this happens it really hits home that these guys are putting it on the line for our entertainment."