| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1956-10-01)October 1, 1956 (age 69) Westport, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation | Equestrian |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
| Sport | |
| Country | United States |
Leslie Burr-Howard (born October 1, 1956) is an Americanequestrian and an Olympic champion in showjumping. She won team gold at the1984 Los Angeles Olympics and team silver at the1996 Atlanta Olympics, as well as team silver at the 1999 WinnipegPan American Games.
Leslie Burr-Howard was born Leslie Michele Burr on October 1, 1956, inWestport, Connecticut.[1]
She competed in her first show when she was 6 years old. She won the 1972 ASPCA Maclay Finals as a junior rider.[2]
She won a gold medal inshow jumping with the American team at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles riding Albany, and a silver medal in 1996 aboard the Dutch warmblood mare Extreme.[3]
Burr-Howard is also well known as the second of the three primary riders for the legendary showjumperGem Twist. She helped the horse earn the AGA Horse of the Year title, which was for a third time, and was a record. In 1994, she represented the United States in theNetherlands for theFEI World Equestrian Games. She also rodeCharisma and Gem Twist in theUnited States Equestrian Team (USET) Show Jumping Championship at the Bayer/USET Festival of Champions inGladstone, New Jersey, to tie for first place.[2]
There were 12 riders who contributed to the USET's win in the 1997 inaugural Samsung Nations' Cup Series, which culminated atSpruce Meadows,Calgary, in Canada. Burr-Howard was one of the 12 riders. Burr-Howard won the richest Grand Prix event, the $1 Million CN International Grand Prix (formerly known as the du Maurier Limited International Grand Prix).[2]
In 1999, inWinnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Burr-Howard assisted USET in winning the team silver medal at the Pan American Games.
In 2000, Burr-Howard competed in the USA East Coast World Cup League and come out on top. She also competed in the United States Equestrian Team Region 1 Show Jumping Championship, winning for a second consecutive time. She competed at the Royal Horse Show inToronto, Canada and earned the Leading Rider award.[2]
Burr-Howard currently splits her time betweenNewtown, Connecticut[2] andWellington, Florida.[6]
