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Christopher Burton

Christopher Burton

Age

42

Place of Birth

QLD

Hometown

Jondaryan

Olympic History

London 2012

Rio 2016

Tokyo 2020

Career Events

Individual - Open

Team - Open

 

Christopher's Story

Fast Facts

Sport: Equestrian
Event: Eventing
Horses Name: Quality Purdey
Olympic History: London 2012, Rio 2016
Year Born: 1981
State Born: QLD

About Christopher

Chris Burton grew up on a grain farm near Toowoomba in Queensland. On his third birthday he got his first pony, Clancy, with him he began his riding. At six his eventing future was kicked off with a new pony called Spice, using bricks and broomsticks he’d build jumps for the pair to practice over.

Chris did his first EFA event in 1994 on Just Joshin. Shortly after Chris started riding Deo Juvante and soon enough the two rose through to 5****. 2008 saw Burton win 5* in Adelaide on Newsprint.

In 2010, Burton made his international debut for Australia at the Equestrian Games in Kentucky, he finished midfield in the event on his horse, Holstein Park Leilani. Burton soon became recognised as an established elite rider, and went on to compete on the Australian, British and European Eventing and Showjumping circuits. Burton’s Olympic debut followed in 2012 at the London Games, he finished 16th in the individual and sixth in the team event.

In 2015, Burton placed 4th at Luhmuhlen with Graf Liberty, he also went on to place 3rd and 4th at Burghley on TS Jamaimo and Haruzac. 2015 also saw Burton take out the World Record for the lowest ever finishing score at a three day event aboard Santano in the CCI*** in Camphire. The duo finished with a dressage score of 24.5.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics Burton rode alongside Sam Griffiths, Stuart Tinney and Shane Rose, the team finished third behind France and Germany in gold and silver respectively. During the Games, Rose was eliminated in the cross country phase, so the three remaining Aussie riders had to be in top form as they entered the final day of show jumping in gold medal position. Riding Santano II, Burton clipped two fences, including the second last, but he did well to avoid a disaster at the final hurdle where a mistake would have handed the bronze to New Zealand.

Burton also narrowly missed out on medals in the Rio individual eventing competition, finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

At Kentucky 2018 he placed 9th on Nobilis 18. In 2019, Burton claimed 3rd and 4th at Badminton with Cooley Lands and Graf Liberty and 2nd at Pau with Quality Purdey. Burton finished the 2019 season as World Number 3.

Chris was set to compete in his third Olympic Games in Tokyo, with his horse Quality Purdey, but had to withdraw within two weeks of the Games.

Following pre-Olympic Veterinary inspections it was determined that Quality Purdey had sustained a minor injury, and although with time will make a full recovery, the decision was made that her welfare should not be compromised.

 

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