About us

Leslie Burr Howard

A member of the United States Equestrian Team ( USET ) squads that won the team Gold Medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and the team Silver Medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, ‘ Leapin Leslie ‘ Howard entered her first show at age 6. As a junior rider, she won the 1972 ASPCA Maclay Finals, at Madison Square Garden at age 15, the United States top competition for riders 18 and under. (read more under "Leslie Career")

Gabriël Coumans

Gabriël is a multi-talented Dutch horseman, who is the “European Connection” for Burr Associates.

He has been a successful show jumping rider since the age of six. He was the coach of the Dutch Junior Team, the Dutch Junior Pony Team, and the Israeli National Team. Over the years Gabriel has become an expert in scouting top show jumpers and fitting them with the right rider. Leslie has worked with Gabriel just over 30 years, resulting in an amazing number of successful horse/rider combinations for Leslie,and her students, both amateurs and Juniors.

A few of the many now famous horses Gabriel found for Leslie as young talented beginners include:
Lennox Lewis:
Multiple victories at the prestigious Spruce Meadows Derby.
Youp:
1st ever to win WEF and GR PR in the same week at WEF.
Utah:
Multiple GR Pr winner throughout Northern America.
Tic-Tac:
10th at WC final in Lyon France after Qualifiying through multiple WC Qualifying competitions.
Donna Speciale:
Winner of many FEI classes uncluding Spruce Meadows.
Quadam:
Recently winner of the Old Salem Gr Pr.
Charisma:
winner of the trials for the 1994 World Championships at The Hague.
S’Blieft:
winner of the richest purse in North America, the De Maurier Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows.
Extreme:
silver medal winner at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Clover Leaf:
gold medal winner at the Winnipeg Pan American Games.
Priobert de Kalvarie:
4th in the World Cup Final in Leipzig,and team member in the World Championships at Jerez de la Frontera.

Gabriel continues to be a wonderful resource for horses for Leslie herself, and for successfully mounting Burr Associates clients in the future.

Emmanuel Defossez

Emmanuel Defossez is an essential member of our team, whose knowledge, skills and experience enable him to craft a shoe unique to each horse's foot. His focus on the care and health of our horses' feet and legs leads to years of soundness in Grand Prix competitions and his professionalism is widely recognized both here in the US and in Western Europe.