Latest from Horse & Hound in Liz-halliday

‘There aren’t words to express what this means’: injured rider returns to event and watches her Olympic horse

Pippa Roome — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:32:51 +0000

Liz Halliday, who suffered a serious brain injury in an eventing fall in 2024, returned to an event for the first time yesterday (23 April), at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event.

“There really aren’t words to express what today meant to me,” said Liz. “To finally be back at an event for the first time since my accident… to watch my gorgeous Cooley Nutcracker go down the centre line with Boyd Martin… to hug friends I haven’t seen in so long and catch up about everything I’ve missed… I am overjoyed and so grateful to finally be back in the sport I love.”

Liz rode Cooley Nutcracker at the Paris Olympics shortly before her accident. She is now part of a syndicate called Liz’s Nutcrackers, supporting the horse for new rider Boyd Martin.

Liz Halliday watched the pair do their Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage test from her wheelchair on the balcony just above the arena entrance yesterday.

“Things are a bit different now, of course. I’m here as an owner supporting Boyd and ‘Bali’ alongside the rest of the Liz’s Nutcrackers crew. I am so grateful to Boyd for everything he has done with the horse who made my Olympic dreams come true and am so excited to cheer them on this weekend,” said Liz, who has recently been graded to compete in para dressage.

“Thank you to everyone who came up to say hi and gave me a hug today! Please don’t be shy – come up and say hello and tell me a story about what I’ve missed. Because now I’m back and it feels fabulous!

“Good luck to all who are competing this weekend. I will be riding alongside all of you in spirit.”

Boyd said he looked up at the stands and saw Liz when he finished his test. He spoke to Liz afterwards.

“I hope she’s proud of her horse,” he said, adding in response to a comment that hopefully she was proud of Boyd: “I’m scared of her, I hope she was happy with me!

“It’s great to see her here. She’s back home in Lexington, Kentucky. It’s obviously been a really, really tough year for her coming back to her health and it’s great that she’s back home and not having to live her days at the rehabilitation centre.”

Boyd and Cooley Nutcracker sit fifth on a score of 30.7 after the first day of five-star dressage.

“It was pretty good – I always want to get in the 20s and I was a mark or two off it,” he said. “I botched the first change. I didn’t have him quite in front of the leg and lost my position a bit. He’s a different type of horse for me, but he’s a champion.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Injured event rider graded to compete in para dressage – and welcomes an old friend home

Pippa Roome — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:30:42 +0000

Olympic event rider Liz Halliday, who was seriously injured in a fall in August 2024, has been graded to compete in para dressage.

H&H reported in January that the US rider had returned home, after more than a year in hospitals and rehab facilities, and that she had been back in the saddle. Yesterday (5 April) she said she is now riding at home three days a week.

“The best news yet is that I travelled with [my partner] Mark and my mom last week to TerraNova in Florida so that I could be graded to compete in para dressage,” said Liz in an update shared on her Facebook page. “The grading didn’t involve riding this time but did allow officials to assess which group I belong in from a capability standpoint at this stage in my recovery. I am proud to say that I am now officially an FEI grade II para dressage rider!

Liz added: “The grade II FEI tests are based on movements at the walk and trot, and judging is based largely on the quality of the horse and its performance. The tests are long and quite complex, and I’ve started practising movements at home with the anticipation to dive back into competing this year.

“I also met a number of para dressage competitors at TerraNova, and they are an impressive group: resilient, friendly, and dedicated horsewomen. It was an amazing feeling to be with elite athletes who are living with and overcoming the same challenges that I am.

“We all know much more about the amazing sport of para dressage now and are ready to start digging into it. This is an exciting new direction in my career, and I’m so happy to be able to compete again. Onward and upward!”

Steady progress

As well as her para dressage journey, Liz Halliday shared that her return home to her farm in Lexington in December 2025 had been a “major lift” to her spirits and that she continues to make “steady progress” in her recovery.

“My communication is still a daily challenge, and I’m bringing you this update with help from my wonderful support team,” she said.

“I am now riding at home three days a week thanks to my lovely team member Melissa, who looks after my retired horses at the farm. She has graciously allowed me to ride her sweet Brewer, and I can’t tell you how incredible it feels to ride in my own arena again for the first time in so long.

“Above all, my heart is so full because we just welcomed Deniro Z back to the farm. Sitting on him again has been the highlight of my year. You all know how much Niro meant to me in launching my career to the next level, and having him with me makes my life feel a bit more back to normal.”

Deniro Z won nine times internationally for Liz, up to CCI4*-S level. The pair also finished 10th at Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2021 and 15th at Burghley Horse Trials in 2019.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘I’ll never give up’: Olympic event rider returns home 16 months after serious injury

Lucy Elder — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:12:18 +0000

Five-star event rider Liz Halliday has returned home 16 months after sustaining a serious head injury in a cross-country fall.

Liz, who finished 19th at the Paris Olympics, was injured in a fall at the USEA American Eventing Championships at Kentucky in August 2024.

She said today (20 January) she finally returned home to Lexington just before Christmas, after spending more than a year in hospitals and rehab facilities in Chicago and Dallas.

“It’s hard to describe all of the emotions you experience when you walk through the door to your own home for the first time in so long … joy, gratitude, and a sense of pride that all of the hard work I have done over the past 16 months has brought me to this point,” said Liz.

“My recovery journey is far from over. I’ve converted my office into a home gym and am working on getting stronger every day.

“I am still committed to my weekly therapy sessions to continue working on my speech and regaining more mobility. And I am continuing to ride at a local facility, which has been so beneficial in my recovery.

“I am excited to continue to improve, and I am so grateful to you all for cheering me on throughout this recovery journey. I still have a long way to go, but I’ll never give up, and I’ll never stop fighting.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘I’ll never stop fighting’: Olympic event rider back in the saddle a year after serious brain injury

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:29:35 +0000

Liz Halliday has promised she will “never stop fighting”, nor “working my ass off” as she continues to recover from a serious head injury – and has been back in the saddle.

The US Olympic event rider has shared an update on her progress, a year after her cross-country fall at the USEA American Eventing Championships (29 August 2024). She underwent surgery at the time to relieve pressure from the swelling on her brain.

She spent six months at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, during which time her horses moved temporarily to other riders including Boyd Martin, then moved to Dallas to the Centre for Neuro Skills in Dallas. In her most recent update, in April, she said she was living in her own apartment, and “every day my life feels a bit more back to normal”.

Today (17 September), she told her supporters she is still working on her therapy every day at the Dallas centre.

“Thanks to the dedicated therapists here, I have made significant progress, but it is clear that there is still a long way to go on my road to recovery,” she said. “This is a slow process!”

Liz explained that she injured the left side of her brain, affecting the right side of her body.

“My right leg and right arm have very limited function at this stage, especially my arm,” she said. “Important benchmarks: I can now walk on my own for longer and longer distances with a cane, and my balance is much improved. I am healthy and getting stronger all the time.

“I’ve now learned to write with my left hand, but my speech and writing are connected, and both are still a work in progress and something I struggle with daily.”

Liz said a “major bright spot” in her recovery has been getting back in the saddle, at a “wonderful local facility”.

“I am able to school walk and trot, and riding every week has definitely lifted my spirits,” she said. “I don’t know exactly what the future will look like for me, but I can promise you one thing: I will never stop working my ass off.

“Every day is a constant effort to walk, talk, read, write, and do all of the things we take for granted every day, but I will never give up.

“Thank you to my mom, Mark, family, and friends for their constant support. Thank you to Boyd Martin for the fantastic job he is doing with my horses. Thank you to Tamy Pollard, who keeps my dogs at her farm nearby and brings them over for regular visits. And thank you all for your continued positive thoughts, prayers, and good vibes. I’m still here, and I’ll never stop fighting. Up, up, up!”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

‘Hug your horses and your people tight’: Olympic rider Liz Halliday ‘grateful for progress’ in recovery from traumatic brain injury

(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

‘Keep the messages coming’ – injured Olympic event rider responds to support by squeezing friends’ hands

(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

‘Surrounded with light and love’: injured Olympic eventer takes major step in recovery

(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

‘Hug your horses and your people tight’: Olympic rider Liz Halliday ‘grateful for progress’ in recovery from traumatic brain injury

Lucy Elder — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 17:21:55 +0000

Olympian Liz Halliday has written an update on her progress as she continues her recovery from a cross-country fall – sharing news of a move to her own apartment with her beloved dogs nearby.

Liz sustained a serious head injury in the fall at the USEA American Eventing Championships at Kentucky in August 2024.

Family and friends have shared news of Liz’s condition following the accident, as the equestrian community rallied to support the US rider through messages and good wishes. This latest update (19 April) is the first to come directly from Liz.

“My voice is getting stronger all the time, and until I can talk to you all in a video, I’m writing to you with help from my family and friends,” she said.

“In a normal week, I would be busy making final preparations with my horses to compete in the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. But as you know, my new normal is now focused on my recovery from a traumatic brain injury [TBI].

“No two recoveries from a TBI look the same, and I feel grateful for the progress I’ve made so far and know I will continue to make.

“After spending six months at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, I have now moved to Dallas to continue my therapy at the Centre for Neuro Skills (CNS). Every day is filled with speech, occupational, and physical therapy with a focus to getting me back to doing what I love.”

Liz added that she is “so grateful” for all the messages of love and support she continues to receive.

“Above all, I am grateful to my family and friends for their continued support, and that my dogs, Archie and Ella, were able to move to Dallas with me and are staying with friends nearby,” she said.

“I am living in my own apartment now at CNS with the support of a dedicated care team, and every day my life feels a bit more back to normal.

“To my fellow competitors who are gearing up to compete at Kentucky, I wish you all the best for a safe and successful competition. My heart will be with you all this week! Hug your horses and your people tight, and I look forward to seeing you all soon.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘We’re delighted to bring loyal readers this benefit’: H&H magazine subscribers get free website access

Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp (USA) riding DENIRO Z during the dressage phase at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in the grounds of Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK between 5 - 8th September 2019 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Liz Halliday’s horses temporarily move to other top riders as she focuses on her recovery

‘Surrounded with light and love’: injured Olympic eventer takes major step in recovery

Liz Halliday’s horses temporarily move to other top riders as she focuses on her recovery

Lucy Elder — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 11:35:38 +0000

Olympic event rider Liz Halliday is making “steady progress” in her recovery from a cross-country fall and her horses will temporarily move other riders as she continues her rehabilitation.

Liz sustained a head injury in a fall during the USEA American Eventing Championships at Kentucky on 29 August.

The latest update from Liz’s family and friends (16 October) said that they are “heartened to share” that the US rider is continuing to make steady progress a the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago.

“The dedication of her amazing team of therapists, doctors, nurses, and staff is nothing short of extraordinary, and we are deeply grateful for the care and expertise they are providing,” said the update.

“Each day brings meaningful victories, and Liz is pushing forward with impressive strength and resilience.

“To ensure that her remarkable horses stay at their peak performance until Liz is ready to take the reins again, we are completing arrangements for placing her string with other top riders.

“The first group of horses safely arrived at Boyd Martin’s farm this week and have settled in beautifully. Liz’s amazing team have been incredibly resilient during this time of transition and are keeping things running flawlessly at the farms.”

The update added that Liz is continuing to prioritise rest and therapy.

“We kindly ask for your continued respect for her privacy as she focuses on her healing journey,” it said.

“Liz and her family and friends appreciate every single one of you, and while there is still a long road ahead, we know that with your support — and her tenacious spirit — she will continue to make strides toward a full recovery.

“Thank you for being with us on this journey. Together, we’re helping Liz get stronger every day. #KeepFightingLiz”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Maryland, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘Surrounded with light and love’: injured Olympic eventer takes major step in recovery

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 14:30:12 +0000

Olympic eventer Liz Halliday has been taken off her ventilator and is breathing unaided, so she can “get the deep rest she needs to heal”.

The US rider’s friends and family have been keeping Liz’s supporters updated on her recovery, from the head injury she sustained in a fall during the USEA American Eventing Championships at Kentucky on 29 August.

“Today has been a VERY good day for Liz,” yesterday’s (3 September) update read.

“She is officially off the ventilator and breathing on her own! Being off the ventilator means she is much more comfortable and now able to get the deep rest she needs to heal and progress in her recovery.”

The update said Liz had also had a “very special’ visitor; Erin Suidikas, an emergency room nurse who was fence-judging at the time of Liz’s fall.

“Erin immediately called ahead to the emergency room to alert the hospital staff to prepare an operating room,” it said. “Her swift action allowed Liz to get into surgery quickly after being transported to the hospital.

“Thank you to Erin and ALL of the incredible doctors, nurses and hospital staff who have been so attentive to ensuring Liz receives the best possible care. You are all our heroes!”

The previous day’s update had again thanked all those who had sent messages of support, which Liz’s family and friends have found “incredibly uplifting”.

The update said they had not been able to reply to all the messages they have been sent, but they have been reading them all to Liz.

“Whether you have known her since her days in Pony Club or met her once at an event, or never met her at all but cheered her on all the way to Paris, please know that we are continuing to read and play every message,” the update said.

“She is continuing to hold the reins tight. Thank you to our amazing eventing family for surrounding our girl with light and love. Keep the messages, prayers and positivity coming.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘Keep the messages coming’ – injured Olympic event rider responds to support by squeezing friends’ hands

Pippa Roome — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 10:48:42 +0000

US Olympian Liz Halliday is making “steady improvements and wowing her medical team” – and responding to messages from well-wishers by squeezing her friends’ hands – after she sustained a head injury in a fall during the USEA American Eventing Championships at Kentucky on 29 August.

Liz was riding nine-year-old gelding Shanroe Cooley in the advanced final when she fell at fence 21b and was taken to the University of Kentucky medical centre, where she underwent surgery to relieve the pressure from the swelling on her brain. Shanroe Cooley was not injured.

Liz’s friends and family posted two updates to her social media over the weekend.

On Saturday, they said that there had been an “incredible outpouring of love and support for Liz as she starts the long road to recovery”, and that she was going above and beyond by lifting her arms and legs when asked to wiggle her fingers and toes.

They also said they had started to read out messages from the eventing community and “she responded by squeezing our hands to let us know how grateful she is to everyone who is sending their well wishes”. They asked for people to keep sending written and voice messages and to use the hashtag #KeepFightingLiz, as her mantra has always been to keep fighting.

In Sunday’s update, connections of Liz Halliday expressed gratitude for the messages received since her injury.

“We are reading to her and playing voice messages for her around the clock and have hardly made a dent in the list,” said the statement.

“We put a pair of reins in her hands today, and she is gripping them tight to keep the contact. When we pull on the reins, she pulls back. We know she is dreaming about getting back out to gallop cross-country again,” added the update, which said the words “resilient”, ‘focused”, “fierce”, “strong” and “tenacious” have emerged as themes about Liz in the messages.

“Please keep the messages coming, along with the positivity and prayers,” the statement said.

Liz made her Olympic debut at Paris this summer, finishing 19th.

To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Olympic event rider ‘stable’ in hospital after surgery for head injury sustained in fall

Lucy Elder — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 09:56:55 +0000

US Olympian Liz Halliday has undergone surgery after sustaining a head injury in a cross-country fall during the USEA American Eventing Championships at Kentucky yesterday (29 August).

Liz was riding the nine-year-old gelding Shanroe Cooley in the advanced final when she fell at fence 21b – the Adequan Shallows water complex.

A statement from US Eventing said that Liz was taken to the University of Kentucky medical centre, where “they are providing care and treatment”.

“Shanroe Cooley, owned by The Ocala Horse Properties LLC, was assessed by the veterinary team on-site and was uninjured in the fall,” said the statement, adding that the USEA and organisers are sending Liz their best wishes.

A later update from Liz’s family and friends, posted to her social media, said that Liz has sustained a head injury and has undergone surgery to relieve the pressure from the swelling on her brain.

“Her team of doctors felt the surgery went exceptionally well. Liz is in stable condition and currently resting comfortably,” said the update.

“We appreciate all the love and support from everyone reaching out and checking in at this time, and we know it also means the world to Liz.

“Thank you to the onsite team and everyone who jumped into action to help at the event, along with Liz’s remarkable team for ensuring the horses are well taken care of while Liz is recovering.

“Thank you also to the doctors and nurses at the hospital for providing the best possible care.

“We will do our best to provide updates as we have them. Please keep sending positive thoughts and prayers.”

Liz, who has previously spent many years based in the UK, is a leading international event rider and partnered Cooley Nutcracker at the Paris Olympics last month.

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Zuma Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo)

‘He was spectacular’: rider called up at 11th hour impresses on Olympic debut

Lucy Elder — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 16:03:35 +0000

Olympic debutante Liz Halliday stepped up at the 11th hour to produce the leading US score in the eventing dressage in Paris with the striking young talent Nutcracker.

Liz and the 10-year-old gelding, owned by The Nutcracker Syndicate, were initially named as the alternate combination on the US eventing team. They received the call up to be part of the team of three just ahead of the first horse inspection yesterday (26 July).

It has been a whirlwind 48 hours for the US side. Will Coleman had already swapped his first selection, Off The Record, for his reserve horse Diabolo while at the training camp. But on moving to the venue at Versailles, Diabolo showed signs of a hoof abscess and so Liz was swapped in.

“It’s a really odd place to be in emotionally, because the first thing I felt was devastation for Will, because I’ve been there before Tokyo,” said Liz, whose intended ride for the last Games in 2021 sustained an injury just before he was due to go into quarantine.

“You’re overwhelmed with the fact that you’re moving into the spot, and also overwhelmed with sadness for your teammate, who equally earned his spot here – and then it’s time to get to business. It goes from shock, to being a competitor again, but I’m absolutely thrilled with how my young horse performed in there. He was spectacular.”

The pair cut an elegant picture, with their score sheets featuring plenty of sevens and eights. A little tension crept in during the canter work, which kept their good score of 28 from being even better. It is the highest of the three US Olympic eventing team scores after the first phase, putting the side in strong contention ahead of the jumping phases on 88.9. Their teammates Caroline Pamukcu (HSH Blake) and Boyd Martin (Fedarman B) are on 30.4 and 30.5 respectively.

“He’s actually really taken a big leap forward in just the last two weeks in some of his work. I’ve changed around some things to try to make him more relaxed and just really let it flow – I think that’s helped,” said Liz.

She added: “He’s desperate to do the right thing all the time, and sometimes that adds tension in his back. So that’s what we’ve worked so hard on. I worked on that in the warm up, just having him go in and saying, ‘we’re cool buddy’. I think we’re heading the right way.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Royal International Horse Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Olympic debutante called up as top nation make last-minute change to Paris eventing team

Martha Terry — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 08:15:48 +0000

US Equestrian has announced a last-minute change to their team of three for the Paris Olympic eventing competition, moments before the first horse inspection.

Travelling reserve combination Liz Halliday and Nutcracker will move into the competing trio for the USA eventing team, replacing Will Coleman and Diabolo. Will had already swapped his first selection Off The Record to his reserve horse Diabolo while on the training camp, but since moving to the venue at Versailles, Diabolo has shown signs of a hoof abscess.

“The last 48 hours have truly been tough for our team, but particularly for Will Coleman,” said US chef d’equipe Bobby Costello. “Off The Record looked well at the training camp, but Will’s direct reserve, Diabolo, continued to impress and was physically in such great condition, so we made the decision to place him into the team roster before moving to the venue.

“Diabolo trotted up great prior to shipping from the training camp and arrived at the venue happy and sound. Unfortunately, shortly after settling into stabling he showed some significant signs of discomfort and the team immediately got to work to address a potential abscess in the right front foot. Team farrier Beck Ratte, Dr. Susan Johns, Diabolo’s groom Hailey Burlock, and Will’s wife, Katie, were so diligent and excellent in treating Diabolo and he did in fact trot up sound last night.

“With that said, we felt after weighing the risk, it was not in Diabolo’s or the team’s best interest for him to move forward with the competition this week. We’re all just really devastated for Will and his entire team. It takes so much work to get to this moment and it’s just such an unfortunate turn of events. We’ve got to look forward though, and with that said, we’re heading into this competition with four very competitive horses, and l still feel very confident in this team’s ability to be successful here in Paris.”

This will be Liz’s Olympic debut, having been selected for Tokyo but then withdrawing after a horse injury. She made her USA eventing team debut at the Pan Am Games last year, taking team silver. Cooley Nutcracker is a 10-year-old, who was eighth at Kentucky in the spring although the pair parted company at the US final trial. His Cooley prefix is being dropped for the duration of the Olympics in line with the Games rules.

The new alternate for the US team is Sydney Elliott with QC Diamantaire, a 14-year-old by Diarado owned by Carol Stephens.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Royal International Horse Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

An emotional back story, a stalwart and a young star: first Olympic eventing team for Paris revealed

Pippa Roome — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:14:38 +0000

The US Olympic eventing team for Paris 2024 has been revealed, with Boyd Martin, Will Coleman and Caroline Pamukcu selected.

This is an emotional call-up for Boyd and his connections as his ride, Fedarman B, was previously ridden by Annie Goodwin, who was killed in a fall while cross-country schooling in 2021. Commando 3 is named as a direct reserve horse for Boyd.

The other two horses selected are at opposite ends of the age and experience scale. Will Coleman will ride the seasoned 15-year-old Off The Record, who led the US to world team silver in 2022 and has four top-15 five-star results and an Aachen win to his name. Will has the younger Diabolo – winner of the CCI4*-S at Kentucky Three-Day Event in April – as a direct reserve horse.

Nine-year-old HSH Blake will be one of the youngest horses at the Olympics, but he is already a championship gold medallist, having taken individual top spot at the Pan Am Games last year with Caroline Pamukcu, who makes her Olympic debut.

Liz Halliday is the alternate with another young horse, the 10-year-old Cooley Nutcracker, who impressed in the five-star at Kentucky.

The US selectors have named 12 combinations in all, which will be put forward as their Olympic entries. World team silver medallists Lauren Nicholson and the 17-year-old Vermiculus are a notable omission from the list, despite the fact they were best of the Americans in the five-star at Kentucky. Tamie Smith recently ruled herself and Mai Baum out of team contention after the horse pulled away from his handler and “tweaked himself” earlier in the season.

US Olympic eventing team for Paris 2024

Will Coleman with 15-year-old Off The RecordOwner: Off The Record SyndicateBreeding: by Arkansas out of a mare by Ard OhioGroom: Hailey Burlock

Direct reserve horse: 12-year-old DiaboloOwner: Diabolo GroupBreeding: by Diarado out of a mare by Aljano 2Grooms: Hailey Burlock and Erin Jarboe

Boyd Martin with 14-year-old Fedarman BOwner: Annie Goodwin SyndicateBreeding: by Eurocommerce Washington out of a mare by FedorGroom: Stephanie Simpson

Direct reserve horse: 11-year-old Commando 3Owner: Yankee Creek Ranch LLCBreeding: by Conner 48 out of a mare by Amigo xxGroom: Stephanie Simpson

Caroline Pamukcu with nine-year-old HSH BlakeOwners: Mollie Hoff, Sherrie Martin, rider and her husband DenizBreeding: by Tolan R out of a mare by KannanGroom: Chloe Teahan

Travelling alternate:

Liz Halliday with 10-year-old Cooley NutcrackerOwners: Chris Desino, Rob Desino, rider, her mother Deborah and Renee LaneBreeding: by Tolan R out of a mare by CobraGroom: Abby Steger

First reserve:

Sydney Elliott with 14-year-old QC DiamantaireOwner: Carol StephensBreeding: by Diarado out of a mare by Sandro HitGroom: Caitlin Martin

Other reserves in alphabetical order

James Alliston with 10-year-old KarmaOwners: Alliston Equestrian and Ric Plummer

Jennie Brannigan with 14-year-old FE LifestyleOwners: Nina and Timothy Gardner

Will Faudree with 13-year-old Mama’s Magic WayOwners: Jennifer Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables

Liz Halliday with 12-year-old Miks Master COwners: Ocala Horse Properties and Deborah Palmer

Liz Halliday with nine-year-old Shanroe CooleyOwners: Ocala Horse Properties

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Olympic rider scores emotional win on horse whose rider died in cross-country schooling fall

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Five-star winner withdraws from Olympic contention: ‘There is not adequate time’

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Two riders bidding for a senior championship debut among British eventing Olympic entries

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Cola – Bubby Upton’s ‘potential young rider horse’ who’s on Britain’s Olympic long-list

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

British rider drops down order after Kentucky four-star cross-country

Pippa Roome — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 16:53:45 +0000

Britain’s Lucienne Bellissimo has dropped down the order in the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S after the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country day.

The US-based rider was the joint leader overnight on Dyri, but had a run-out at the final element of the influential Le Chameau Park Question at fence 6abcde, where riders jumped a rail, down to a ditch, up a bank to a cabin and then one stride to an acutely angled brush.

Lucienne said: “I’ve just been told he lost a front shoe at fence one and a hind shoe halfway around as well – poor horse – he kept feeling like he was sort of wanting to prop more than normal and I now realise why. He was being very genuine still to be jumping.

“He is ditchy historically and he just didn’t read that last part at the Park Question – at least he jumped the first three and then he just ran out of ideas. I probably could have ridden it better, I maybe needed a little bit more left rein there just to hold him straight and absolutely say, ‘This is the only way you’re going.’

“But I’m actually really impressed with how much once that had gone wrong, he recovered. Obviously, I went a bit slower then and he really did just keep trying.”

Lucienne added she considered taking the longer route at the Park Question on Dyri, who runs in the ownership of her Horse Scout Eventing business, but said: “Ultimately, at some point, you’ve got to learn where the weak spots are. He was in the lead but I don’t want to take the easy route and not learn something because I really want to develop him to be a five-star horse. So I need to get him a little bit more accurate on his lines so next time we can go clear.”

Lucienne retired her first horse, Tremanton, after a problem at the first element of the same fence.

“She went to sort of take off and then saw the ditch and I think she just skidded, from what I can see on the video, and ended up with her front leg through the bottom rail,” said the rider. “She felt totally sound but she spooked herself so there was no point trying to carry on so, sadly, I took her home. We’ll get her confident again and try another day.”

Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country: Liz Halliday takes lead

Liz Halliday was equal first with Lucienne after dressage and now holds the lead, having finished with 3.2 time-penalties on Miks Master C. The 12-year-old, who belongs to Ocala Horse Properties and Deborah Palmer, was third in the five-star here last year and is a leading contender for a spot on the US team at the Paris Olympics.

He is a strong horse across country and Liz had to balance getting close to the optimum and setting him up for the fences.

“Luckily, he does gallop like a freak so you can make time up a bit in between, but he definitely was keen today,” said Liz. “However, he is an incredible athlete and he’s very quick on his feet. In the places where I didn’t quite have him where I wanted, I just softened and let him find his way and he was so quick on his feet.

“That is the brilliant thing about ‘Mickey’ – he might be strong but he’s still incredible to fences and very calculating. He actually never ran off with me through a combination. That’s been the big step for him, if we compare it to the Pan Ams last year, is he was still very thoughtful through all the combinations here while being strong in between. That’s why he can keep going fast.”

Liz also said she felt the horse could have benefited from one more prep run before Kentucky she will learn from that experience for the future with him.

Enjoy the best of Kentucky with Horse & Hound

To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Kentucky Three-Day Event with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from £1 a week in the UK or less than $2 a week in the US. Sign up now. And don’t miss our Kentucky Three-Day Event magazine report in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 3 May.

Why you need to know about Cooley Nutcracker – ‘I really believe in him for the future’

Pippa Roome — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 12:44:55 +0000

If you’re not aware of Cooley Nutcracker yet, put him on your radar. The 10-year-old has won both his CCI4*-L starts and is currently equal third after dressage in the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event.

“He’s gorgeous, I absolutely love him. He’s one of my favourite horses,” said his rider Liz Halliday after his test yesterday. “He’s incredibly sharp, which nobody realises because they see me on him and close to him, but he’s very people sharp, horse sharp, everything – but I think that’s what makes him so good and so careful.”

Liz continues: “He’s interesting because he’ll go and spook in the warm-up and spook along when he goes in the showjumping ring, but once he’s on on the job, he’s all business, which I love about him. He loves to compete. And he’s just a powerhouse, he’s got a lot of engine.”

The black gelding was bred in Ireland by Gary Doherty, by Tolan R. He was produced by French Olympic medallist Astier Nicolas up to three-star level, competing with him in the seven-year-old World Championships before joining Liz in 2022.

Liz says that the two of them “becoming friends over the last two years” has been an essential part of their success.

“I think it’s just stepping stones to a big future for him because I really believe in him a lot,” she said.

The pair earned a good smattering of eights in their dressage test, with the marks dropping down when the syndicate owned horse showed his inexperience in the walk and the flying changes. Their final score was 30.6, to sit alongside Lauren Nicholson and the veteran fan favourite Vermiculus.

“He’s still a bit weak and with plenty of green moments, I’m thrilled with the score he got because it just shows what he’s going to be. It wasn’t even close to a polished test,” said Liz. “He’s capable of low 20s. He’s had that in four-stars, he just needs to get a little more solidified in his changes and more calm and relaxed in the ring, and then I think he’ll be spectacular.

“When he’s nervous, he suddenly tries to stop on me. That was what he did in the first shoulder-in and so I rode him quite strong in the second one. He also does it sometimes going across the diagonal to change without me doing anything – He just goes, ‘How about I walk?’ so I’m saying, ‘No, please don’t walk.’

“He did notice the camera in the extended walk, but he was a very good boy to go whoa and just put himself back together again and be a professional. So I was proud of him for that.”

Looking ahead to today’s cross-country, Liz said she always believed Cooley Nutcracker would be a five-star horse and that he is “incredibly brave”, but it was only halfway round Galway Downs in the autumn last year that she thought he was ready for the challenge.

“He jumps very big and he’s very careful. I needed him to measure the jumps better, not jump so high and there he just measured all the drops into water and I thought, ‘Now he’s ready’,” she said.

“I actually think it’ll be great for him for me to just let him gallop. He has an incredible gallop, he is quite a keen ride cross-country. I like the beginning of the course for him – that there are fences you can just ride up to which I think will be great to settle him in.”

Data analytics company EquiRatings’ pre-event predictions said Liz and Cooley Nutcracker were the US pair with the best chance of victory. Their post dressage percentages give him an 8% win chance, behind Tom McEwen and JL Dublin (38%) and Yasmin Ingham with Banzai Du Loir (30%).

The pair head out across country at 3.22pm (8.22pm British time).

Enjoy the best of Kentucky with Horse & Hound

Kentucky five-star dressage times: find out when your favourite starts

Pippa Roome — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 20:46:54 +0000

The Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage times have been released for the first two days of action.

Sara Kozumplik will get the five-star started on Thursday afternoon at 1.30pm (6.30pm British time) on Rock Phantom. Fellow home side rider Phillip Dutton is the last to go on his second ride, Azure, at 3.55pm (8.55pm) on Friday.

Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage times: British and Irish riders

Susie Berry and Clever Trick (IRL): 1.54pm (6.54pm British time) on Thursday
Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI (GBR): 2.56pm (7.56pm British time) on Thursday
Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir (GBR): 3.04pm (8.04pm British time) on Thursday
Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent (GBR): 2.34pm (7.34pm British time) on Friday
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin (GBR): 3.31pm (8.31pm British time) on Friday

Other key contenders

Ariel Grald and Leamore Master Plan (USA): 2.18pm (7.18pm British time) on Thursday
Doug Payne and Quantum Leap (USA): 2.48pm (7.48pm British time) on Thursday
Monica Spencer and Artist (NZL): 3.12pm (8.12pm British time) on Thursday
Phillip Dutton and Quasi Cool (USA): 3.50pm (8.50pm British time) on Thursday
Mia Farley and Phelps (USA): 1.24pm (6.24pm British time) on Friday
Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle (USA): 2.10pm (7.10pm British time) on Friday
Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus (USA): 2.50pm (7.50pm British time) on Friday
Liz Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker (USA): 3.15pm (8.15pm British time) on Friday
Phillip Dutton and Azure (USA): 3.47pm (8.47pm British time) on Friday
Boyd Martin and On Cue (USA): 3.55pm (8.55pm British time) on Friday

Full list of times

Enjoy the best of Kentucky with Horse & Hound

‘I don’t think it’s sunk in’: Tamie Smith secures historic Kentucky win

Pippa Roome — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 19:45:43 +0000

Tamie Smith topped the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event results today, becoming the first US winner of the event since 2008 and the first female winner since 2011.

The 48-year-old competitor rode a brilliant clear in the showjumping today on Mai Baum, owned by his former rider Alexandra Ahearn and her parents Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell.

“I’m just a bit speechless, I don’t think it’s sunk in,” said Tamie. “I’m a little bit in awe right now. With that horse, a lot of people were part of his career, not just me and it means a lot.”

Tamie did not have a rail in hand when she went in to tackle Steve Stephens’ track, but she rode without a trace of nerves, adjusting the 17-year-old horse as necessary but staying relaxed enough to let him do his job.

“All of us have been rooting for an American to win Kentucky for a long time and we’ve been close a few times. I’m so happy an American won because I’m so tired of the Europeans coming over here and taking our national championship and I’m so grateful it was me,” said Tamie, who paid tribute to Erik Duvander and his contribution to the country’s efforts, as former US performance manager and still trainer to many riders including herself.

“I think everybody is elated for me but we all have our own struggles in this sport, we all have our ups and downs. You picture the iceberg, you see the tip poking out, but the bottom is massive. You have a lot of struggle, a lot of heartbreak in this sport, but I think you do in anything that’s great. I think everybody just felt the same emotion I’m feeling right now, just elated.”

Tamie admitted her uncharacteristic two down at last year’s World Championships had made her nervous about today’s showjumping and that she very much wanted this victory to give “horse of a lifetime” Mai Baum the recognition he deserves.

“I wanted him to have his moment in the sun and today he did. He’s missed out a few times and I’m very happy for him, because I think he’s an unbelievable creature,” said Tamie, who hopes “Lexus” will be a Paris 2024 horse, but says he will tell her when he’s ready to retire.

Britain’s Tom McEwen also jumped clear on Jo and James Lambert and Deirdre Johnston’s JL Dublin to clinch second place. He rattled the penultimate fence, an upright, and then took a flyer to the last, but finished without penalties.

Liz Halliday-Sharp scored her first podium finish at five-star when she piloted Miks Master C, owned by Ocala Horse Properties and Deborah Palmer, to a clear to hold onto third place.

Germany’s Sandra Auffarth also jumped clear to confirm fourth on Viamant Du Matz.

There was a high percentage of clears today, which meant even a single rail down sent riders down the placings. Off The Record hit the first element of the treble and had a time-fault, sending him and Will Coleman from fifth overnight to seventh.

Clears from France’s Maxime Livio (Carouzo Bois Marotin) and Phillip Dutton (Z) moved them each up a place to fifth and sixth in the final Kentucky Three-Day Event results.

Britain’s David Doel finished on this dressage score to take eighth on Gillian Jonas’s Galileo Nieuwmoed.

The other Brits also went well today. Zara Tindall had the blue and white oxer over a water tray at fence five down to finish 15th on Class Affair, while Yasmin Ingham (Banzai Du Loir, 18th) and Kirsty Chabert (Classic VI, 21st) both jumped clear.

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Amy Dragoo)

‘I’m riding on the wave of Nicola’s training’: Tom McEwen second at Kentucky on former Nicola Wilson ride JL Dublin

(Image credit: Amy Dragoo)

‘He was class’: Tom McEwen on podium after Kentucky cross-country, plus one Brit clear in time

(Image credit: Amy Dragoo)

Clears, time-faults and 20 penalties: how Tom McEwen, Zara Tindall and Kirsty Chabert fared on Kentucky cross-country

(Image credit: Amy Dragoo)

One horse withdrawn plus one spun at Kentucky final trot-up

(Image credit: Amy Dragoo)

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Promising five-star debutants excel in final stages of Kentucky dressage but Brits retain one-two

Pippa Roome — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 20:42:12 +0000

Two 11-year-old first-time five-star horses excelled in the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage today for US riders, putting in the best tests of the day aside from Yasmin Ingham’s.

The final competitor, Will Coleman, scored 25 with Hyperion Stud’s Chin Tonic to move into fourth. A beautiful horse and a super mover, the Holsteiner by Chin Champ showed some quality work as well as moments of greenness and tension.

“It’s a much higher level of technicality at the five-star and he still has room to improve in that department,” said Will. “Everything comes very quick in this test and he needs to be a little better, a little sharper, and be available a little bit quicker.”

Liz Halliday-Sharp has claimed fifth with her equally promising young ride Miks Master C, owned by Ocala Horse Properties and Deborah Palmer, who received a mark of 26.9.

Liz said: “He’s an amazing horse and when you’re on a horse this world class you sort of you want it all to happen all at once, so I had dreams of going in and getting a very, very, very low score, which I thought he was extremely capable of – and he is capable of – but this is the biggest atmosphere he’s ever seen. He got a little bit keen, a little bit strong, and we just had to kind of work through the best that we could.

“But I have so much belief in him and he is capable of all the things so I’m still thrilled with him.”

Liz gave a shout out to Miks Master C’s breeder, Laurie Cameron, who also bred Sydney Solomon’s ride Early Review CBF, who followed her into the arena.

Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage: British one-two

Pats for Banzai Du Loir after a super dressage test at Kentucky 2023. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Yasmin Ingham and Tom McEwen hold first and second places at the close of the Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage.

Yasmin sits in first place on 22.1 with The Sue Davies Fund’s Banzai Du Loir, with Tom just behind on 22.6 riding Jo and James Lambert and Deirdre Johnston’s JL Dublin.

Tamie Smith is the best of the US riders in third, on Alexandra Ahearn and her parents Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell’s Mai Baum.

The final British competitor today was David Doel, who scored 35.6 for 22nd at this stage with Gillian Jonas’s Galileo Nieuwmoed.

The five-star cross-country tomorrow starts at 1.20pm local time (6.20pm British time).

‘He isn’t frightened to make it big’ – Oliver Townend, Tamie Smith and others react to Ian Stark’s Maryland 5 Star cross-country course

Pippa Roome — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 20:40:10 +0000

Riders have been giving their reactions to the Maryland 5 Star cross-country course, designed by Ian Stark.

Oliver Townend commented: “It’s designed by, in my opinion, one of the best designers in the world. He’s got a tremendous amount of feel because he’s ridden around so many [five-stars] himself, but he isn’t frightened to make it big and it’s definitely big. It’s definitely challenging, but it’s horse friendly.”

US rider Liz Halliday-Sharp commented that the track is “kind of old school in places”.

She said: “It’s really ditchy and up and down the mounds, like the coffin [Bodgie’s Hill & Dale at fence 15abc] is sort of your old school get in there and be gritty coffin and the Maryland Timber Rails going up the hill, that’s the sort of thing we saw back in the old days. He’s embraced some of that and that is a little bit Ian’s course-design, I think, which I don’t mind. I think it’s kind of interesting and it’s definitely a different feel from the other five-stars I’ve done.

“It’s a real five-star and is very challenging at the end. I think he’s asking a lot of tired horses. So staying on the ball all the way to the end is going to be really important.”

Will Coleman echoed Liz’s thoughts on the end of the Maryland 5 Star cross-country course, saying: “You’re answering questions pretty much all the way up to 10 minutes 45 seconds through an 11 minute 30 second course. The going should be good, which I think will be really helpful.

“I think he’s stepped the jumping up from last year. There’s more jumping to be done and what he’s put out there is big and testing.”

Maryland 5 Star cross-country course: new layout

Their compatriot Phillip Dutton, a seven-time Olympian, said that he likes the new start and finish location from the horse’s point of view.

“I think the first section is quite fast – there’s not a lot to slow you up,” he said. “I can see people getting up on time there and then it’ll be a case of seeing how much horse they got left at the end.”

New Zealand’s Tim Price agreed: “I like the layout a lot better this time with where he’s got the start and the finish and how that impacts the energy requirements around the course.

“I think it’s maybe a bit bigger in places than last year and also last year, the time was quite easy, a little bit too easy. And I don’t think that’s the case this year, it’s wheeled a lot tighter.

“So that’s going to put more emphasis on the guys that have travelled over from Europe. You want to make the most of your trip, so you know you want to be quick and that puts a different element on everything on the course – everything that’s big becomes bigger, the hills become steeper and the technicality coming home on a tired horse becomes more extreme. So it’s a tough course this year, I think.”

Recent world silver medallist Tamie Smith said: “It looks like you’d better be able to see a distance from a long way away. There are lots of straight lines and galloping, so not a lot to back them off before the combinations. On horses where the fences don’t back them up, the riders are going to have quite a bit of work to do.”

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

Nine insights on the Maryland 5 Star cross-country course from designer Ian Stark

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

The crab is back – are you up to it? Walk the Maryland 5 Star cross-country course

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

How to watch Maryland 5 Star live from anywhere in the world

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

‘Clown’ of a horse who flunked his vetting and demands a toll from his rider aims for seventh five-star finish

(Image credit: Pippa Roome)

Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Maryland 5 Star with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full magazine report on Maryland, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comment from Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (20 October).

A rider from Europe and ‘a giant goof’ of a horse hold podium places at Maryland 5 Star

Pippa Roome — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 21:38:07 +0000

French rider Astier Nicolas has taken second place after the first day of Maryland 5 Star dressage today (13 October).

Astier and the 11-year-old grey Babylon De Gamma – who belongs to his rider, Etienne Grivot, Marielle Grivot Bize and Benedicte Nicolas de Monval – scored 29.1 to sit 1.9 penalties behind overnight leader Woods Baughman.

“We’re getting there – it’s not up to top standard yet, but things are improving,” said Astier. “It was a more established test than last year and there’s a lot more to come. He can do the movements, but we’ve been working on straightness, connection, the way of going.”

The pair finished 10th here in 2021, but Astier said today that the horse had caught a cold on the plane over to the US last year, so was not on top form.

“He feels very good this year, so there’s no excuse,” he said, talking about testing whether the horse has stamina over Ian Stark’s cross-country track.

Astier also spoke about coming to Maryland again rather than his home five-star at Pau Horse Trials.

“This horse is very sensitive to the ground and it’s more consistent ground here,” he said. “That’s the reason why I came and also it’s a great show.”

US rider Liz Halliday-Sharp sits just 0.2 of a penalty behind Astier with another 11-year-old grey, The Monster Partnership’s Cooley Quicksilver.

“He’s just a giant goof,” said Liz. “He’s made of rubber – he can turn himself inside out and scratch the top of his tail both sides easily – which makes him great to ride and also challenging on the flat. You can imagine teaching the horse to go straight has been interesting when you’re riding five different moving parts at once. But it makes him a really great athlete and he loves his job.

“He’s extremely arrogant and he thinks he’s wonderful and you have to let feel that way. You can’t try and squash that, so it’s a give and take relationship. I’ve had him from a real baby, a very green five-year-old, so we know each other well now.”

US world team silver medallist Tamie Smith is 0.1 of a penalty behind Liz in fourth at the halfway point of the Maryland 5 Star dressage, riding five-star first-timer Danito.

“It’s quite electric in there and he got a little away from me towards the end and became strong, but he’s such a good boy so I’m very pleased,” she said.

Owner Ruth Bley sent the now 13-year-old to Tamie three and a half years ago to sell.

Tamie said: “I just loved him – he was kind of this spicy little thing, a little nappy and kind of a little troubling – but I just called her and said, ‘Are you sure you really want to sell him? I think he’s a great horse. And if he’s not then at least we can produce him through some decent levels and you could get some decent money for him’.”

Tamie added that she felt Danito hasn’t had the coverage he’s deserved because he has been overshadowed by her eventing World Championship ride, Mai Baum.

“But he has beaten him a couple of times on the flat,” she said – quite an accolade as Mai Baum is renowned as one of the best eventing dressage horses in the world.

Top contender eliminated at Maryland 5 Star first trot-up plus a British withdrawal

Pippa Roome — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 18:08:14 +0000

Liz Halliday-Sharp’s ride Deniro Z was eliminated at the Mars Maryland 5 Star first trot-up this afternoon (Wednesday, 12 October).

The drama came early, with Deniro Z, who is owned by Ocala Horse Properties, the sixth horse to be presented to the ground jury – president Christian Landolt (Switzerland) and members Judy Hancock (Great Britain) and Gretchen Butts (USA). He was sent to the holding box and re-presented later in the order, but not accepted to continue in the competition.

Home side rider Liz will still compete on Cooley Quicksilver, who data analytics experts EquiRatings have put up as the favourite in the class, with a 15% win chance. Deniro Z was sitting equal second in the EquiRatings’ prediction centre for the event, with a 12% win chance.

Twenty-five horses were brought forward for the Maryland 5 Star first trot-up and all the others were accepted the first time they were presented.

The four horses who have flown in from Europe – Babylon De Gamma (France’s Astier Nicolas), Superstition (Britain’s Harry Meade), As Is (Britain’s Oliver Townend) and Coup De Coeur Dudevin (New Zealand’s Tim Price) – came forward first as they are kept separate to the US-based horses, for biosecurity reasons.

US-based Brit Leslie Law has withdrawn his entered ride, Voltaire De Tre’, leaving Harry and Oliver as the only two competitors riding under the Union flag in the five-star this week.

The loss of Deniro Z from the competition leaves just two riders with two horses in the mix – Jennie Brannigan rides Twilightslastgleam and FE Lifestyle while Buck Davidson will start on Sorocaima and Carlevo.

Competitors from five nationalities start at Maryland – the USA, Britain, Canada and New Zealand.

Brits and world medallists among the entries for Maryland 5 Star

Pippa Roome — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 15:36:07 +0000

Three British riders are among the Mars Maryland 5 Star entries for this year’s event (13-16 October).

Harry Meade returns to the US autumn five-star with Mandy Gray’s and his own Superstition, on whom he finished seventh at Maryland last year.

US-based Brit Leslie Law and Tre’ Book’s Voltaire De Tre’ also have their second crack at the event, having come 22nd last year.

Oliver Townend, who was second at Maryland last year on Cooley Master Class, will be back this time riding John Peace’s five-star first-timer As Is, who was recently second in the CCI4*-S at Blair Castle Horse Trials.

Disappointingly, there are only 25 Maryland 5 Star entries at present, although this is likely to continue to rise over the next week, with 30 September the final closing date.

Three members of the US’s silver medal-winning team at last week’s eventing World Championships in Pratoni have a ride in the five-star class, with Will Coleman bringing forward Don Dante, Tamie Smith riding Danito and Lauren Nicholson piloting Landmark’s Monte Carlo. In addition, World Championships reserve combination Phillip Dutton and Z will be in action.

Boyd Martin won Maryland last year, but he is the only US rider from Pratoni not starting in the five-star class according to the current entries list, although he will compete in the accompanying CCI3*-L and young horse classes.

Liz Halliday-Sharp will start among the favourites with a strong hand in her two entries – Deniro Z, who was selected for last year’s Olympics though he had to be withdrawn owing to injury, and Cooley Quicksilver, whose three wins at CCI4*-S include victory in the hot supporting class at the Kentucky Three-Day Event in April.

Buck Davidson and Jennie Brannigan are the only other riders with two horses in the class, with Buck slated to start on Carlevo and Sorocaima and Jennie riding FE Lifestyle and Twilightslastgleam.

Doug Payne and Quantum Leap were the best US combination in the five-star at Kentucky in the spring and they will be at Maryland, too.

Young US talent Woods Baughman will try to make amends for a disappointing cross-country performance at Burghley Horse Trials when he brings forward C’est La Vie 135.

Fans of Hannah Sue Burnett’s veteran ride Harbour Pilot will also have a chance to see him in action as the 19-year-old is on the start list.

Olympic riders and rising stars among 14 British entries for Luhmühlen five-star

Pippa Roome — Mon, 16 May 2022 15:31:29 +0000

There are 14 British-ridden horses are among the Luhmühlen Horse Trials entries for the five-star class (16-19 June).

Olympic team gold medallist Tom McEwen brings forward two first-timer five-star contenders in the Barkers’ Bob Chaplin and Barbara Coopers’ Braveheart B, while world champion Ros Canter will ride Kate James and Annie Makin’s Pencos Crown Jewel, who was fourth in the one-off five-star at Bicton Horse Trials last September.

World team gold medallist Gemma Tattersall is entered on Chris Stone’s Chilli Morning daughter Jalapeno, who was fourth at Blenheim Horse Trials CCI4*-L last year.

Kylie Roddy will get another shot at five-star with the Fox Family’s SRS Kan Do, who she pulled up at Badminton Horse Trials after he lost a shoe, while Kirsty Chabert – with Classic VI, owned by Carole Somers and Kirsty’s father John Johnston – and Ben Hobday (with his own, his father Stephen and Jane Chambers’ Shadow Man) will both hope to make amends for eliminations at Badminton.

David Doel, who impressed when he finished sixth on his Badminton debut with Galileo Nieuwmoed, will ride Christine Lees Ferro Point and the Pages’ Dunges Don Perignon this time. Bubby Upton is another younger rider hoping for a good result at five-star and she rides her mother Rachel’s Cannavaro, her partner in winning the under-25 national title last year.

Ireland has six entries, including two for Cathal Daniels – Jo Breheny’s LEB Lias Jewel and the Kinsella’s Rioghan Rua, the latter is the horse he rode to an individual bronze medal at this venue at the 2019 European Championships.

The Prices both bring forward five-star winners. Jonelle Price will pilot the grey mare Faerie Dianimo, owned by Trisha Rickards, Jacky Green and her rider, who won here in 2018. Tim Price has three rides, including Sue Benson’s and his own Falco IV, last year’s Pau Horse Trials winner.

There are 38 horses on the five-star list of Luhmühlen Horse Trials entries in total, with Canada, Denmark, France, Lithuania, South Africa, Switzerland, Sweden and the USA all sending representatives. The US has three entries – Matthew Flynn (the Flynns and Merry Go Round Farm’s Wizzerd), Liz Halliday-Sharp (The Monster Partnership’s Cooley Quicksilver) and Lauren Nicholson (Jacqueline Mars’ Vermiculus).

As usual, many of the top German riders will take on the CCI4-S instead of the CCI5 and there are only two home-side combinations in the five-star – Sophie Leube makes her debut at the top level on Jadore Moi and Dirk Schrade pilots Freya Rethmeier’s Casino 80.

‘An amazing journey together’: prolific four-star event horse retires aged 19

Becky Murray — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 18:04:25 +0000

US event rider Liz Halliday-Sharp has announced the retirement of her “long-term friend” and prolific four-star partner, Fernhill By Night, aged 19.

The Irish sports horse gelding by Radolin came to Liz in 2012 when she was based in the UK. The pair completed their first advanced at Wellington Horse Trials in 2013, finishing eighth, and ended the year 12th in the Ballindenisk CIC3* (now CCI4*-S). The following year they represented the US at two Nations Cup legs, Fontainebleau and Ballindenisk, and completed the Blair Castle and Boekelo CCI3s* (now CCI4*-Ls).

From winter 2014 Liz began splitting her time between the UK and the US, and she and “Blackie” enjoyed success both sides of the pond. In the following years the pair had top-10 placings at events including Hartpury International, Blenheim Palace, Barbury and Millstreet. In the US, they won the Ocala Jockey Club CIC3* (now CCI4-S) in 2018, the Tryon and Carolina International CCI4-Ss in in 2019, and the Stable View CCI4*-S in 2020.

Liz, who made a permanent return to the US in 2020, said as the Carolina International is taking place this week (24-27 March) she felt it fitting to announce the “official retirement” of one of its winners.

“We have enjoyed multiple FEI wins and placings through four-star level, took on our first CCI5* together, and also competed at prix st georges level in dressage,” she said.

“Last year, Blackie finished second at Carolina in the CCI4*-S in what would be the last big competitive appearance of his career. At 19 years old Blackie and I have had an amazing journey together and he owes me absolutely nothing.”

Liz said Blackie is enjoying being spoiled at her farms, hacking and spending time in the field with his “miniature friend” Bubbles.

“A thank you to Blackie for all that he has taught me and for being my friend for all of these years,” she said. “He will remain a special part of our family until the end of his days.”

Rider to miss Olympic debut as horse ruled out by injury

Becky Murray — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 16:58:31 +0000

A change has been made to the US Olympic eventing team after a horse was found to have suffered an injury prior to heading in to quarantine.

US Equestrian (USEF) announced today (7 July) that Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z will not take part in the Games. Liz had been due to make her Olympic debut in Tokyo.

“Following pre-travel horse evaluations, veterinary concerns prompted additional diagnostic testing of Deniro Z prior to the team’s departure to Europe for pre-export quarantine,” said a USEF spokesman.

“Following a thorough review of the testing results, it was determined it is in the best interest of the horse to be withdrawn from the team after confirming he has sustained an injury.”

The spokesman added the 13-year-old gelding, owned by Ocala Horse Properties, is expected to make a full recovery.

The withdrawal means travelling alternate rider Doug Payne has received his call-up to the team with 17-year-old gelding Vandiver, owned by Debi Crowley, Doug and Jessica Payne.

The other team riders remain:

Phillip Dutton and Z, owned by Thomas Tierney, Ann Jones, Caroline Moran, Simon Roosevelt and Suzanne Lacy
Boyd Martin and Luke 140, owned by The Luke 140 Syndicate. First direct reserve horse: Tsetserleg TSF, owned by Christine Turner, Thomas Turner and Tommie Turner.

Continued below…

ELISABETH HALLIDAY-SHARPDENIRO Z (Image credit: Amy Katherine Dragoo)

US reveals eventing team for Tokyo: Olympic debutante makes the cut

The three US event riders and travelling reserve who will make the trip to this summer’s Olympic Games have been

(Image credit: Amy Katherine Dragoo)

Olympic eventing teams: who’s heading to Tokyo?

(Image credit: Amy Katherine Dragoo)

The new travelling alternate for Tokyo will be:

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum, owned by Alexandra Ahearn, Ellen Ahearn, and Eric Markell

The reserve riders who will travel to pre-export quarantine in Aachen, Germany are:

Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way, owned by Jennifer Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables (first alternate)
Will Coleman and Off The Record, owned by the Off The Record Syndicate (second alternate)

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

US reveals eventing team for Tokyo: Olympic debutante makes the cut

Pippa Roome — Fri, 28 May 2021 09:28:50 +0000

The United States (US) has named its eventing team for this summer’s Tokyo Olympics, the first major nation to do so.

The team consists of:

Phillip Dutton and Z, owned by Thomas Tierney, Ann Jones, Caroline Moran, Simon Roosevelt and Suzanne Lacy
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z, owned by Ocala Horse Properties
Boyd Martin and Luke 140, owned by The Luke 140 Syndicate. First direct reserve horse: Tsetserleg TSF, owned by Christine Turner, Thomas Turner and Tommie Turner. Second direct reserve horse: On Cue, owned by Christine Turner, Boyd Martin, Thomas Turner and Tommie Turner

The travelling reserve will be:

Doug Payne and Vandiver, owned by Debi Crowley, Doug Payne and Jessica Payne

Phillip is a six-time Olympian who won the individual bronze medal at the last Games in Rio and collected two team golds for Australia before he changed nationality. Boyd has been on the US team at the past two Olympics, while Liz and Doug make their Olympic debuts.

US eventing team for Tokyo Olympics: ‘A very focused group’

“I believe we have a competitive team to represent the US in Tokyo. All the horses have had a little break, and we will now be working to improve some details we identified at the Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5* and Jersey Fresh CCI4*-L before we head to the team’s mandatory outing at Great Meadow in Virginia,” commented chef d’equipe Erik Duvander, who will head up the US effort in Tokyo alongside team leader Jenni Autry.

“Following that outing, we travel to our pre-export quarantine in Aachen, Germany. This is a great facility and will function as our final training camp where we will be working with dressage judges and have Peter Wylde working with us on the showjumping. This is a very focused group of athletes who are committed to delivering a top performance in Tokyo.”

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Amy Katherine Dragoo)

8 things you didn’t know about Boyd Martin, from being Olympic pathfinder to his famous parents

There’s never a dull moment with US Olympian Boyd Martin, who comes from a prolific sporting family and has overcome

(Image credit: Amy Katherine Dragoo)

Twins, medals and Irish-breds: eight things you didn’t know about three-time Olympic medallist Phillip Dutton

Mug up on the highlights of Phillip Dutton’s competitive career in eventing, plus learn about his family and his move

(Image credit: Amy Katherine Dragoo)

The US has also named the following non-travelling reserves, in order:

First reserve: Tamie Smith and Mai Baum, owned by Alexandra Ahearn, Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell
Second reserve: Will Faudreeand Mama’s Magic Way, owned by Jennifer Mosing
Third reserve: Will Coleman and Off The Record, owned by the Off The Record Syndicate
Fourth reserve: Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire, owned by Carol Stephens
Fifth reserve: Buck Davidson and Carlevo, owned by Katherine O’Brien
Sixth reserve: Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus, owned by Jacqueline Mars

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find out more about getting the magazine delivered to your door every week.

Marine biology, racing cars and an ex-policeman: nine facts you didn’t know about Liz Halliday-Sharp

Pippa Roome — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 16:24:59 +0000

How up to speed are you on Liz Halliday-Sharp facts? We bring you all you need to know about the US event rider…

1. Liz first came to Britain to base herself with William Fox-Pitt during a year out from college. She ended up staying for 20 years.

2. She was studying marine biology as her major at college: “We built our house in England and we had a giant marine fish tank diving two rooms. It‘s something I’m still passionate about, but life has taken me in another direction and that’s a good thing.”

3. Liz’s best placing at five-star is eighth at Luhmühlen Horse Trials in 2018 on Deniro Z. The pair also finished 15th at Burghley Horse Trials in 2019.

4. In 2020, Liz won more international classes than any other rider in the world, with nine victories in total, including three at four-star short – two on Deniro Z and one on Fernhill By Night.

5. Liz’s husband Al is British and is an ex-policeman. They met in 2007 and married in November 2010. Halliday is Liz’s maiden name and she has added Al’s surname, Sharp.

6. She sources many of her horses from Ireland, particularly from Richard Sheane at Cooley Farm. “I have a great relationship with Richard and trust him 100% – he knows the type of horses I like and has a brilliant eye for a talented horse.”

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The Horse & Hound Podcast 39: Liz Halliday-Sharp | Competing young or hot horses | News round-up

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Liz Halliday-Sharp: the US event rider who thrives on pressure – on a horse, in a race car, and in front of a live TV camera H&H Plus

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

7. Liz combined eventing with being a semi-professional racing driver for many years (this is our favourite Liz Halliday-Sharp fact!). Her favourite kind of racing was 24-hour races, where a team of drivers circulate in the same car – she took part in seven of them, three of them at Le Mans.

8. She was in the minority as a woman racing driver, competing with men on equal terms: “Two years at Le Mans, I was the only woman out of over 80 drivers. You could let yourself slip into thinking, ‘I’m doing ok for a girl’ but I used to say, ‘I’m not a man or a woman when I’m here, I’m just a driver.’ At the highest level, as long as you were fast enough, everybody respected you. At the lower levels, I found it a bit more of a challenge – I’d quite often be told I was cheating if I won.”

9. Liz has also worked as a commentator and pit reporter for Eurosport at Le Mans and says she loves the challenge and adrenalin rush of live television.

Memories of learning from William Fox-Pitt: ‘I was pretty wet behind the ears –but I got to ride Ballincoola and Tamarillo’

Pippa Roome — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 12:24:36 +0000

If US event rider Liz Halliday-Sharp makes her Olympic debut this summer at Tokyo, she’ll be the first to admit that she owes much of her success to her long apprenticeship in the sport in Britain, and particularly her time at William Fox-Pitt’s yard.

“I actually spent most of my adult life in Britain until recently,” she said during an interview on episode 39 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, currently supported by NAF.

“I moved there in January of 2000 originally to have a year away from college to work for William Fox-Pitt, so that was a big plunge to move from California to the UK in January. The year just sort of morphed its way into nearly 20.”

Liz describes her time at William’s as great, but “a giant kick in the butt”.

She admits: “I was not very quick – I hadn’t had much experience being a groom and stripping stalls [mucking out] and all that kind of thing. I was pretty wet behind the ears. I remember being not very good at it if I’m honest – I was pretty slow. I started out just literally hacking whatever I was allowed to hack, I was one of the grooms.”

After six months full time at William’s, Liz was struggling with her back as an injury incurred during an accident while ski racing in college was reoccuring.

“I ended up going off and doing my British Horse Society studies at Talland and I still came to William’s and just rode whatever they gave me to ride. I had a horse there and I did my own horse myself whenever I turned up,” she says.

“I kind of ended up being there for nearly three years, which was a brilliant and really invaluable experience. I have so much respect for that whole team and for William and for Jackie [Potts, William’s long-standing head girl] and all that she’s done there and all that they taught me.

“They taught me to work hard and all the different things I’ve learnt which I do things with my own horses now in eventing. I have so much respect for them and I consider William a good friend still.”

Liz was at William’s during something of a golden era for the yard and remembers the European Eventing Championships team gold medallists Stunning and Moon Man, as well as other top horses.

“I ended up being able to ride a lot of William’s best horses – it was really exciting to be able to gallop Ballincoola back in the day and getting to ride Tamarillo,” she says.

“I still remember the day Ballincoola arrived at the farm for the first time as a novice horse. William was so incredible at just knowing if a horse was going to be a top horse. I remember he sat on Ballincoola probably that first day and he said, ‘This will be a four-star [now five-star] horse’. And lo and behold, he won Burghley Horse Trials.”

Summing up her time at William’s, Liz says: “It was cool and I would say it was a very character building experience. Like I say, I was not very good at the job and it taught me to work hard and to graft away and just get tougher. I think that’s why I stayed and really made Britain my home.”

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp riding COOLEY QUICKSILVER in CIC ** Section D during the cross country phase of the Barbury International Horse Trials held on the Barbury Castle Estate in the village of Rockley near Marlborough in the county of Wiltshire in the UK on 7th July 2018 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The Horse & Hound Podcast 39: Liz Halliday-Sharp | Competing young or hot horses | News round-up

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Liz Halliday-Sharp: the US event rider who thrives on pressure – on a horse, in a race car, and in front of a live TV camera H&H Plus

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Later, Liz Halliday-Sharp based herself with New Zealand rider Joe Meyer for nearly seven years.

“He was very instrumental to helping me push on and helped to make me a better cross-country rider,” she says. “I got to help with a lot of the training of his horses, I rode a lot of the young horses and that was another great experience for me.

“Eventually I went off on my own in 2009. I’ve very much got my own system now. All the things I learnt in Britain and the British way – I try to bring that back to the US with me.”

If you’d like to hear more about Liz – and what she describes as “the best thing I’ve done in my life, next to Burghley”, listen to episode 39 of The Horse & Hound Podcast here or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.

Liz Halliday-Sharp: the US event rider who thrives on pressure – on a horse, in a race car, and in front of a live TV camera H&H Plus

Pippa Roome — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 13:01:57 +0000

The US event rider learnt her equestrian trade in Britain – and her mental strength in a racing car. She talks to Pippa Roome

IF Liz Halliday-Sharp makes the US team for the Tokyo Olympics, it’ll be her first major championship. But it certainly won’t be the first time the 42-year-old has performed under pressure. Because Liz is not just an elite athlete in equestrianism. At the same time as she was climbing the grades in eventing through her twenties, she was also a professional racing car driver.

“It was crazy – for a lot of years I raced and rode together,” she explains. “It was pretty cool when I was young – I was on a plane or in a car or on a horse. I just bombed around the world doing crazy stuff. It was a really fun part of my life and I’ll never regret it, even though I’m sure I would have achieved better things with horses earlier in my life if I hadn’t been racing.”

Having done some media work during her years in the cockpit, Liz was a commentator and live pit reporter for Eurosport at the Le Mans 24-hour race for 10 years after she stopped driving there.

“I absolutely love live TV,” she says. “It’s a lot of fun to be in front of the camera, knowing you can’t get it wrong.

“I’ve always been someone who enjoys pressure – of course we all get nervous, but it’s definitely where I thrive, in that real adrenaline situation. Maybe it’s because I have such a busy brain, it’s the only way I can make it focus. I think every time we’re under a huge amount of pressure – when you go into the arena in the lead – it makes you more educated and better.”

Ability under pressure is just one of the attributes Liz hopes will stand her in good stead for championships. Looking to Tokyo, she already knows about performing in “extreme heat”.

“In some of these cars, you’ll be racing at 50°C in the cockpit for two hours at a time. It was a real challenge mentally as much as physically,” she says.

The car Liz raced at Le Mans – the paintwork matches her cross-country colours. (Image credit: John Waugh)

She is also accustomed to being part of a team, such as at Le Mans where three drivers take turns.

She explains: “I did Le Mans three times and it was just outstanding. Nothing quite compares to driving at Le Mans in the middle of the night, flying around in a purpose-built race car with an open cockpit. I love 24-hour racing for the physical challenge, the team challenge and the strategy, and just the pure grit that it takes to finish one of those things – not just for the drivers but the mechanics, too.

“I really feel like I’ve had that fight before and had to dig deep within a team environment and I hope I can bring that with me,” she adds.

A passion of a lifetime for Liz Haliday-Sharp

Last year was Liz’s first in 20 years being based full-time in the US as a rider, and she finished the year the leading US eventer on points. She also scored more international wins than any other event rider worldwide during 2020, with her nine victories including three at four-star short.

Her passion for horses dates back to her childhood in southern California, although her parents, Debby and Don, are not horsey.

“It was all I wanted to do – I was riding the tree in the back yard with a jump [skipping] rope as reins,” she says. “I started riding when I was about eight at a little barn down the road.

“My family didn’t have loads of money and made me really work for it, which I respect – some kids get everything bought for them. I had to show I was dedicated before I got breeches and boots. I had to go to the barn and do all the work. We leased random horses.”

Liz’s father Don raced cars and was an instructor as a hobby; she started at 16 and the pair shared “this funky historic car”, competing chiefly in sprint races. Don’s death in 2012 after a long illness was a factor in Liz’s decision to retire from racing, alongside waning sponsorship in a worsening economy and making the eventing high performance list for the first time.

“I had a moment and thought, ‘This is the switch,’” she says. “I gave it up cold turkey.”

Liz’s proper break into eventing came when she took a year out of studying marine biology at university and based herself with William Fox-Pitt – it “became a lot of years… I sort of never went back”.

Liz stayed in Britain for about 15 years and in 2007 met her British husband Al, an ex-policeman she describes as “my rock”. Over the winter of 2014/2015, the couple spent time in Ocala, Florida, which led to about five years of splitting their lives between the two countries.

“It was fun, but you can’t do that your entire life,” she says. “It’s insane going between the two and it’s not financial reality. We had to make a decision one way or the other. From a business perspective – giving clinics, teaching and turning over sale horses – and to get me in front of the selectors to help my team aspirations, it made sense to be in the US.”

Liz on Cooley Moonshine, who has been successful at the Le Lion young horse championships. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Three-star winner Flash Cooley, who is owned by a Brit who missed him too much when he was in the US, has now gone to Gemma Tattersall, but most of Liz’s owners are US-based.

“They were awesome about it and want me still to compete in Europe, but it’s nicer for them to see the horses more often,” she says, agreeing that it’s “not cheap” to fly a string of horses across the Atlantic.

“But crazily enough, it’s not that much of a difference in cost. The cost to compete in America is just enormous, and you’re travelling – hotels and all that. Of course it is a bit cheaper [to stay in one country], but not vastly.”

Liz now has British citizenship and Al has a green card, so the couple have the flexibility to “cruise around”. They will spend the winters in Ocala, and summers at their farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Their property in Ocala was bought through Ocala Horse Properties, the owners of which are now her “best owners and dear friends”.

How Liz Halliday-Sharp learnt the British way

Liz’s horsemanship is firmly rooted in the British system.

“I was pretty inexperienced when I came over, so how I get the horses fit and train has all been based in England,” she says. “Now that we’ve put in a hill gallop on a surface in Kentucky, I feel like I have all the pieces in place and can keep things going the way I did in England. That makes me feel better.

“Every year we’re trying to find new ways to make the horses better, but I can hold on to that underlying system that I know worked.”

Liz took her cue from riders around the world when Covid hit.

“Some people in the US backed off a huge amount and I didn’t feel that was the right thing to do,” she says. “I watched what other great riders in the world were doing – the Prices were out and running, as were Michael Jung, Ingrid Klimke, Oliver Townend.

“The horses had a break, but then I thought, ‘I’m just going to go and prove to the selectors they can’t forget me.’ I think that was productive. It put me on the high performance elite list for the first time and my horses finished the season in great form.”

Has Liz done anything particular to up her game over the past year?

“During the first lockdown, I focused on areas where the horses were weak. I’m a very goal-oriented person and I’m sure I’m not the only eventer who panicked when we went from full force trying to go to the Olympics to nothing,” she says. “After the horses had some time off, I said, ‘Deniro Z needs to get better at flying changes,’ and I just did them and did them for weeks, not in a high-pressure way but just tried to get better.”

Work on cross-country speed has also paid dividends.

“It’s just finding the more efficient line, learning to be a little bit quicker in my adjustments,” she says. “When you start to be able to make the time, you start to believe you can and that’s been my big step.”

Liz’s spring plan is to take Deniro Z to Kentucky, an event at which she has “unfinished business” – she has only completed once, out of the placings. Eighth at Luhmühlen 2018 and 15th at Burghley 2019 are her best positions at the top level, both with Deniro Z.

“Niro”, who is now 13 and was bought as a seven-year-old sale horse from Francis Whittington, is her chief contender for Tokyo, but the 10-year-old Cooley Quicksilver has an outside chance.

“His nickname is the Monster – that’s how his syndicate of owners, The Monster Partnership, got its name,” she says. “He’s very, very flexible, which makes him wonderful and also annoying all at once.

“He’s just a goof, he is such a quirky animal, but I do love him to bits. He fights like hell on the cross-country and he loves his job. I feel like every year I get to know him better and I find a better way to train him, because it’s always been a challenge getting into his brain.”

Liz has an enviable string coming up behind this pair, including Cooley Moonshine, Cooley Be Cool, Cooley Stormwater, Cooley HHS Calmaria and Maryville Sir Henry.

“The Olympics is pretty much everything we’re working towards every day right now,” she says. “I’ve been on a lot of Nations Cup teams and was reserve for the Pan American Games.

“I feel like I’ve had a taste of it and I’m ready to be a real part of that. I’ve tried to set myself up to have horses in place all the way up through 2028, so I’m hoping they can’t leave me behind from this year onwards.”

This feature is also published in H&H magazine, 25 February 2021

The Horse & Hound Podcast 39: Liz Halliday-Sharp | Competing young or hot horses | News round-up

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 06:45:39 +0000

In our 39th weekly episode of the first series of The Horse & Hound Podcast, currently supported by NAF, US event rider Liz Halliday-Sharp talks to H&H editor Pippa Roome, where she shares her first experiences of starting out in eventing while she was working for William Fox-Pitt, among other topics. Moving on to the week’s top news stories, our news editor Eleanor Jones, senior news writer Lucy Elder and news writer Becky Murray join Pippa to discuss welfare concerns while transporting horses post-Brexit, the licensing of horse sanctuaries and regulation of equine dental technicians and muscoskeletal therapists. We also welcome back supergroom to Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin, Alan Davies, who offers advice on how to introduce young or hot horses to competing. We hope you will find it useful.

Episode 39 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, currently supported by NAF, our popular audio service available exclusively every Thursday morning for our H&H Plus subscribers, is now live.

Each episode is available for all H&H fans to listen to 24hrs after its early release to our H&H Plus members. Search for “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app and click subscribe to be notified about each new episode. This will allow more listeners to make The Horse & Hound Podcast an essential part of their week on Friday morning.

View all episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast

In episode 39, US event rider Liz Halliday-Sharp talks to H&H editor Pippa Roome, where she shares her first experiences of starting out in eventing while she was working for William Fox-Pitt, among other topics

“It was a giant kick in the butt — I wasn’t very quick and having come from California, I hadn’t had much experience of being a groom and mucking out” – Liz Halliday-Sharp

H&H podcast host Pippa Roome is joined by news editor Eleanor Jones, senior news writer Lucy Elder and news writer Becky Murray to discuss welfare concerns while transporting horses post-Brexit, the licensing of horse sanctuaries and regulation of equine dental technicians and muscoskeletal therapists.

“People are tending to find themselves in bottlenecks at border control and it’s leading to horses standing on boxes for lengthy periods of time” – Lucy Elder on delays at borders post-Brexit

In this week’s advice section we welcome back supergroom to Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin, Alan Davies, who offers advice on how to introduce young or hot horses to competing.

“You have to know your horse before you start taking them away” – Alan Davies

We hope you will enjoy our latest episode and would love to hear your feedback, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com

H&H Plus podcast: episode 39

.

Listen now to other popular episodes of the H&H podcast…

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The Horse & Hound Podcast 38: Tullis Matson — Stallion AI Services | Horses returning to work | News round-up

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The Horse & Hound Podcast 37: Pippa Funnell | Dealing with nappy horses | News round-up

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The Horse & Hound Podcast 36: SEIB Search For A Star winner Lisa Sergeant | Loading horses | News round-up

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The Horse & Hound Podcast 35: Piggy March’s supergroom Amy Phillips | Spooky horses | News round-up

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The Horse & Hound Podcast 34: Laura Tomlinson | Anxiety in horses | News round-up

Girls on top in US eventing for first time in nearly 40 years

Becky Murray — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 18:04:24 +0000

A woman has been crowned the United States Eventing Association’s rider of the year for the first time in almost 40 years.

Liz Halliday-Sharp has become only the sixth female to win the award since it was founded in 1960, by amassing 590.5 leaderboard points this year. The award was won by Suzanne Cove in 1962, Lee Troup in 1964, Mary Ann Tauskey in 1978, Torrance Watkins in 1980 and Karen Stives in 1981.

Liz has enjoyed a successful season with nine international and 16 national wins, and 67 top-five placings. Her wins include The Plains CCI4*-S and the Unionville CCI4*-S on Deniro Z, the Lexington CCI3*-L on Cooley Stormwater, and the Tryon CCI2*-L on Cooley HHS Calmaria.

Originally from California, Liz has split her time between East Sussex and the USA for the past 20 years, but she has spent all this year in the States.

“Quite often I’ve done well in the winter and then left [for the UK] so I’ve never really been up there on the leaderboard,” said Liz.

“It was fun to have our first year back go right. We’ve got a lot of great horses in the barn and I’ve got an awesome team and a great group of owners. It’s nice for all of them too that we’ve come out on top after a really good season.”

Continued below…

Watch the Horse & Hound Awards 2020 virtual ceremony

Liz has facilities in both Lexington, Kentucky, and Ocala, Florida.

“We love our place in Kentucky and have just come back to Florida,” she said.

“It’s been a wild year, more than just Covid, with us being at a new farm, trying to find our feet and our way around, and managing all the travel. It’s been crazy but we’ve managed to make it work and hopefully it will just keep getting better.”

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Eventer urges riders to speak up after her horse is fatally injured in cross-country fall

Lucy Elder — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 06:02:10 +0000

Eventer Liz Halliday-Sharp has called for riders to speak out if they are unhappy with a fence or a question on a cross-country course after her horse was fatally injured at Burgham Horse Trials.

The US rider paid tribute to her “horse of a lifetime” HHS Cooley, who was put down after breaking a leg in the fall on 30 July.

The combination have enjoyed success at three-star level over the past three years, scoring six top-10 placings including third in the CIC3* at Ballindenisk, Ireland, last September.

Liz brought the 12-year-old grey gelding, who is owned by her mother Deborah Halliday, up through the levels during the past five years.

The pair enjoyed their first four-star completion together at Rolex Kentucky in the spring date, where they jumped clear across country, and have also represented the US on three Nations Cup teams.

“Cooley was the scopiest, bravest horse I have ever ridden in my life,” Liz told H&H.

“He went pretty quickly up the levels. It took him a while to get confident on the flat, but he was brilliant across country.

“I had the most incredible ride cross-country on him [at Kentucky], he just flew around and took it all in his stride.”

She described him as having an “old soul”.

“He would look at you like he knew so much more about you,” she said.

Cooley fell at an open square-type oxer at fence seven on the CIC3* cross-country at the Northumberland event. Liz was knocked out and broke a vertebra in the fall. She is now recovering at home.

Liz said it felt as if Cooley changed his mind in the air and thought he had to bounce the fence, which she feels was too low for its width.

“I remember I didn’t like the fence when I walked the course. I will probably never forgive myself for not speaking up and questioning it,” she said.

“Riders have got to be brave enough to have a voice.

“Never feel you are being a wimp or being too picky or that you should just ‘get on with it’ if you are unhappy with a fence or its safety. It is at least worth asking the question and voicing your concerns.”

The fence had frangible pins, and the left side broke on impact.

“I feel that perhaps the FEI and national federations need to think about how wide an open rail square-type oxer can and should be,” she said. “Just one honest and experienced horse misunderstanding and losing his life is too many in my opinion.”

She added it would be good to have a rider walk the course ahead of an event to give an alternate perspective and would like to see a minimum height for maximum-width open square-style oxers.

Chris Farr, British Eventing’s (BE) sports operations manager, said that “first and foremost” BE extends its sincere condolences to Liz and her team.

“BE is currently assessing the information about the fall and the fence in question,” he said.

“The dimensions of the fence were within the permitted FEI guidelines and it was fitted with frangible pins and MIM clips.

“The role of the rider representative in both national and international competition has been in place for many years, and is a proven method of raising any concerns riders may have about any part or phase of the competition.

“By way of an example, a different fence at Burgham was altered after the riders approached the rider representative and he raised the query with the BE officials.

“BE would strongly encourage riders to use these existing processes if they have any concerns, in all competitions.

“We all wish Liz a speedy recovery.”

Related articles:

Burgham organiser, Martyn Johnson, added the entire team at the horse trials are deeply sorry for Liz and the loss of her horse.

“The team at Burgham work hard to provide the best possible environment for rider and horse welfare as the number one issue when planning the event,” he said.

David Evans, course designer at Burgham, said: “As anyone involved in eventing will know, whether as an official, volunteer or supporter, we take any injury to either horse or rider incredibly seriously and work tirelessly — and will continue to do so, to move towards making our sport as safe as possible.

“Our thoughts at this time are with Liz and her beloved horse, HHS Cooley.”