Julie Burns Richards grew up riding at a young age on her family’s farm in Newnan, GA. She is a Graduate A Pony Clubber, and she was on the North American Junior Young Rider Championship (NAJYRC) team in 1988. Julie then completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Georgia.
Since then, Julie has continued to develop her successful career with the world’s best. She has competed in Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) events at the 4* and 5* levels in the United States and Europe with numerous top placings.
Notably, Julie finished 5th place at the former Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in April of 1999 on her future Olympic partner Hyde Park Corner.
From 1997 on, Julie has trained many horses to the 4* and 5* level. Court Command and Caitlin were her first advanced level horses. Both horses finished in the top 10 at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event the following year. Court Command then was selected to compete at the World Championships in Italy in 1998, but sadly lameness kept them off the team.
In 1999 Hyde Park Corner was selected to join the Pan American team but once again, a freak last minute laceration kept Julie and Hyde Park Corner from representing the United States.
In 2000, the stars aligned and Hyde Park Corner represented the U.S. in Sydney at Julie’s first Olympic appearance. The next Olympic cycle in 2004, Julie and Jacob Two Two went on to win team bronze with teammates Kim Severson, Darren Chiacchia, John Williams and Amy Tryon in Athens. Since then, Julie has used her Olympic background as a selector for the London Olympics, the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky as well as the Pan American Games in Toronto.
In 2010, Julie returned to her family farm where she started her business. She lives there with her two teenage children, Genevieve and Adam. In addition to raising her family, Julie focuses on finding the perfect horse and rider combinations, with the help of Carol Gee from Fernhill Sport Horses.
Julie went on to win the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International CCI3*-L with Urlanmore Beauty in 2014 and finished inside the top 15 with her other horse Beaulieu’s Cayenne. More recently Urlanmore Beauty, Beaulieu’s Cayenne and Sandhills Brillaire have all competed at top American 4* events with Julie in the irons.
Over the last decade, Julie has found many 5* horses that have gone to represent the United States in team competitions. Julie thrives on helping her students achieve their goals in her program and wherever in the world riding takes them.
Career Highlights
1988 – North American Junior Young Rider Championships
1998 – 5th place CCI5*-L Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event – Court Command
1998 – 9th place CCI5*-L Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event – Caitlin
1999 – 5th place CCI5*-L Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event – Hyde Park Corner
2000 – Sydney Olympic Games – Hyde Park Corner
2004 – 5th place CCI5*-L Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event – Jacob Two Two
2004 – Team Bronze Athens Olympic Games – Jacob Two Two
2014 – 1st place CCI3*-L Dutta Corp Fair Hill International – Urlanmore Beauty
2015 – USEF National Training List
2015 – 9th place CCI4*-L Jersey Fresh International – Beaulieu’s Cayenne
2016 – 3rd place CCI3*-L Ocala International – Sandhills Brillaire
2016 – 5th place CCI4*-L Jersey Fresh International – Sandhills Brillaire
