United States Eventing Association

Now and Then: An Interview With Major General Jonathan R. Burton

Major General Burton’s extensive equine history includes horse racing, the Cavalry, and Olympic rides with the 1948 London Olympic Jumper team and 1956 Stockholm USET Three-Day Event team. As the sport shifted from Cavalry only to civilian-based, Burton took on executive roles including a ten-year term as executive vice-president of the USET (1975-1985) and a three-year term as USCTA (now USEA) president. He recently retired as an FEI Judge and Technical Delegate, positions he served in three different disciplines, but still holds his FEI Steward’s license and USEF Judge’s license. In 1999 Burton was inducted into the USEA's Eventing Hall of Fame.

Chelsea Vecchiarelli: How has the equine community changed?

Major General Burton: When I began competing in equestrian sports there was no civilian activity. The only eventing was done by the Cavalry at places such as Fort Riley. They [the army] provided the teams for the Olympic Games. It was part of the training for the Cavalry. There was no civilian participation at all. About 1930, President Eisenhower said the military would no longer provide an Olympic team, so it suddenly became the job of the horse community to provide the teams. In 1952 most people didn’t know what eventing was, but it started gaining momentum slowly and progression was pretty gradual.

CV: What comments do you have regarding the progression of the sport?

MGB: Eventing has come very far. In the beginning, it was just get together and try to figure out what was going on. Now we have very structured rules and always know what is going on. Now we have something that’s working and we should be thankful.

CV: In what direction would you like to see the sport go?

MGB: Well, it’s become very expensive – horse training and going to shows. We are pricing ourselves out of the business. It would be nicer to make it more affordable, but I don’t know how we could accomplish that.

CV: Your involvement in the development of young riders has been extensive. Do you have any advice for young riders?

MGB: I believe it’s important to help young riders bring along their own young horses; it contributes to making better horsemen in the long run. I’d also like to see it be easier for young folk to get involved with eventing.

CV: And today, you’re a Steward with eventing and which other disciplines?

MGB: I’ve been a Steward for years. I’ve slowed down a bit with the eventing. Last weekend I was at a dressage show in California, but I’m only 91 years old, ya know? (He chuckles)

CV: Are you a proponent of the long format or short format?

MGB: I was brought up on the long format, so that is what I was used to. Now we’ve chopped everything up. The competitions have become days of hurrying up rather than phases that flow into each other.

CV: Some say that with the switch to the short format the Thoroughbred is losing out as other breeds take over. What were the dominant breeds involved in the foundation of eventing and do you see one breed dominating today?

MGB: When I was competing it was more the Thoroughbred, almost all Thoroughbred. Now the European breeds have crept into the Thoroughbreds. When the only participants were in the army, who had breeding programs in the states . . . we went out and bought horses by the thousands for $150 a head. You just can’t do that today.

CV: Would you say you’ve seen it all or still learning when you attend shows?

MGB: I think it’s a continuous process of learning because it’s a continuous process of changes. Everything is more difficult; it’s not smooth like the old days. Then it was easy, now it’s complicated. How we could change that I don’t know . . . it’s the way things are. When I was involved in the horse business, there were still horses pulling wagons in the street and the milk was delivered by cart. Now the traffic!