A
steeplechase is a distance
horse race in which competitors are required to jump diverse fence and ditch obstacles. Steeplechasing is primarily conducted in
Ireland (where it originated), the
United Kingdom,
Canada,
United States,
Australia and
France. The name is derived from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a
church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside.