Austen
Burns

Austen Burns is a Canadian Para equestrian rider who has been selected to represent Canada at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. This marks his first Paralympic appearance. Born in Vancouver on November 20, 1990, Austen began riding horses at the age of three. Initially, riding was a form of physiotherapy to help him build strength and coordination due to his cerebral palsy. Over the years, his passion and skill for the sport have grown, particularly in Para dressage​​​​​​.

Austen trains with Clive Milkins, the Para dressage high-performance program technical leader for Equestrian Canada. He currently resides in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he continues his training. His horse, Happy Feet, has been his partner in achieving notable success in 2024, showcasing promising results leading up to the Paralympics​​​​.

In addition to his equestrian pursuits, Austen is the founder of PersonalCarer, a company established in 2019 to help individuals with disabilities find careers. He also works as a marketing consultant with Moorings Mediquip Group and holds a Master of Science and Marketing from Ulster University, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Computing and IT from Queen’s University in Belfast​​​​.