Olympic royalty holds court

TASMANIAN horse riders are learning from one of the best in their field.

Australian Olympic equestrian rider Christopher Burton is in the state hosting a two-day clinic at the Huntingfield Pony Club at Howden.

Burton, who now lives in Britain, has represented Australia at the past two Olympic Games in eventing, which involves dressage, showjumping and cross country riding.

“The essence of my training is to make harmony between the horse and the rider,” he said.

Burton, originally from Queensland, and his wife Rebekah return to Australia each year to visit family.

This is the first time Burton

The essence of my training is to make harmony between the horse and the rider

Christopher Burton

has taken a clinic in Tasmania, and he said he was impressed by the standard of the riders.

“They are already competent horse people and have some good horses,” he said.

Burton has been riding since he was a young boy but it was the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 that sparked his interest in the sport of threeday eventing.

“When we [Australia] won the gold medal at Barcelona in 1992 ... I thought that was pretty cool, that you could go to the Olympics and go horse riding,” he said.

Australia won again at the Atlanta and Sydney games. At Rio, Burton and his three team mates won bronze.

“We are extremely lucky to have him here ... coaching some of our riders from around the state, including riders on the state eventing squad,” Huntingfield Pony Club’s Jacinta Cantwell said.