Chris Burton and Newsprint at Le Pin au Haras in 2011 Photo: PSV J.Morel
Chris Burton has paid tribute to his his Adelaide CCI4* winning horse Newsprint (Barry) who died aged 21 in the UK on Wednesday
A bay gelding by the famous Australian racing stallion Rubiton, Newsprint started his international eventing career with Christine Bates who enjoyed great success at 1* level with him in 2002. Chris then took over the ride and the pair went from strength to strength, not only winning the 4* in Adelaide in 2008 but also coming second in 2010, despite battling tendon injuries
When Chris moved to the UK in 2011, Newsprint was one of the horses that went with him. That same year they were second in the CIC3* World Cup class at Haras Le Pin in Normandy but sadly the tendon injury recurred and Newsprint was retired
During retirement he acted as paddock buddy for another of Chris’ injured stars, Haruzac whose owner Alan Skinner, told us about the relationship between the two horses in 2013. Haruzac has of course returned to top level eventing, finishing fourth at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in 2015 while Newsprint enjoyed some low level eventing with Gary Storer before losing his life to liver disease
“He will always be the most incredible cross country horse I have ever sat on. He is a very special horse to me” said Chris on his Facebook page
