A few years ago, Chris Burton had switched from eventing to showjumping, only to have second thoughts and make the last-minute change back earlier this year.
It was a decision that paid off in a big way in the early hours of Tuesday morning as the Australian claimed silver in the eventing individual jumping final at the Paris Olympics.
Burton, who was third after the dressage and cross country phases, moved into the silver medal position after the qualifying round and then produced a brilliant ride in the finale on his horse Shadow Man.
Speaking to Channel Nine after the event, Burton said it was a “dream come true” moment, and that he was “over the moon” — even if he at one point thought he could have been in the running for gold.
Burton also revealed the stunning sacrifice he made to get the chance to ride Shadow Man, bought from Britain’s Ben Hobday, who Burton said wanted “a lot of money”.
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“My sponsor put up some money towards it… and, we’ve actually borrowed a heap of it,” he told Nine.
“So if anyone out there has got about half a million Aussie bucks, I’d appreciate it.”
Burton refused to confirm the exact, total figure he paid, saying it was “too embarrassing.”
He added: “What my wife and I did was pretty extraordinary, if we’re honest.
“I’d been out of the sport for a few years. I was in show jumping and I walked in one day and I said, ‘there’s a really nice horse I’ve always liked. How do you feel about going eventing again?’
“The story is unbelievable … I still can’t believe we pulled it off.
“But the horse … I feel like he and I were made for each other – but I think that that horse is so lovely he’d do the same to anyone.”
It wasn’t Burton’s first Olympic triumph, although he topped the bronze medal he won at Rio.
Meanwhile, fellow Australian rider Shane Rose was also in action and while previous penalties meant he was out of podium contention, it was a run that still meant plenty as it was his final one with retiring horse Virgil.
Rose was emotional when interviewed by Channel Nine after the event.
“You’re going to make me cry,” Rose said when asked about his connection with the horse.
“He’s a freak. I spent 13 years with him. More than that, 15 years with him. You know, an hour a day, every day for 15 years. It’s a good relationship.”
Rose was particularly emotional given the role he said Virgil played in helping him through his recovery from the horrific fall that left him with 19 fractures and threatened to end his Paris dream before it even started.
“He’s the reason I was pretty keen to get back out here,” Rose said.
“He looked after me on my road to recovery. Look, I guess reflecting on that now, it’s pretty cool.”
Source Agencies
