Christopher "Burto" Burton (born 22 November 1981) is an Australian equestrian, and Olympic Medal winner. He was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics in equestrian eventing, as well as the 2024 Summer Olympics in which he won a silver medal in the individual eventing competition.
Nicknamed Burto, Burton was born on 22 November 1981 in Toowoomba, Queensland.[1][2] He spent his childhood on a grain and cattle farm at Box Ridge, Brymaroo.[2] He attended Kulpi State School in Queensland before going to high school at Downlands College.[1][2] He moved to England to improve his chances of making the 2012 Summer Olympics.[1] As of June 2012[update], he lives in Dorset, England.[1] As of 2012[update], Burton is 180 centimetres (71 in) tall and weighs 70 kilograms (150 lb).[1]
Burton is an equestrian eventing competitor.[1] He is coached by Brett Parbery.[1] He has also been coached by Prue Barratt since 2010.[1] His primary training base is Dorset, United Kingdom with a secondary base in Wilberforce, Australia.[1] He was a member of Brymaroo Pony Club.[2] His first Australian national team appearance was in 2010 at the Equestrian Games in Kentucky.[1][2][3]
Burton finished 2nd at the 2011 FEI World Cup overall.[1][2] He finished 8th at the 2011 Les Etoiles de Pau CCI4 held in Pau, France.[1][2] He finished 5th at the 2011 Gatcombe British Open Championships held in Gatcombe, Great Britain.[1] He finished 2nd and 3rd at the 2011 Le Pin au Haras Pin CIC3 held in Le Pin, France.[1] He finished 2nd at the 2011 Sydney CIC3 held in Sydney, Australia.[1] He finished 2nd at the 2011 Kihikihi CIC held in Kihikihi, New Zealand.[1] He finished 2nd at the 2012 Saumur CCI3 held in Saumur, France.[1]
Burton was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics in equestrian eventing.[1][3][4] The 2012 Games were his debut Games,[3][4] after having attempted and failing to make the Games two times before.[2] Riding Holstein Park Leilani,[2][3][4] he placed 6th in team eventing and 16th individually.
Burton started the 2013 season with 10th-place finish at Badminton Horse Trials. Later that year he won the CICO3* in Aachen and won the Australian International Three Day Event riding TS Jamaimo. Following year he got selected to represent Australia at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, but had to withdraw during the competition. In 2015 he placed 4th at the Luhmühlen Horse Trials and 3rd at the Burghley Horse Trials.
He got selected to represent Australia at the 2016 Summer Olympics where he won a team bronze and placed 5th individually. Burton was on the top of the individual leader board after the cross-country stage, but several mistakes in the jumping stage cost him the individual medal.
Few weeks after the Olympics Burton won the Burghley Horse Trials with the horse Nobilis. He became the first Australian winner at Burghley 4* since 2006.
Burton won a Silver Medal in the Equestrian Individual Eventing at the 2024 Summer Olympics riding Shadowman.
