Eventer Liz Halliday was honored with the International Equestrian of the Year title by the U.S. Equestrian Federation in Kentucky on Thursday night, while hunter ring star Nick Haness earned national honors.The winners were selected by a vote of the membership.
Liz Halliday.
Liz is in a rehabilitation center for the traumatic brain injury she suffered in August when her horse fell with her on cross-country at the American Eventing Championships. She had been the reserve rider for the U.S. eventing team at the Paris Olympics, but stepped up to compete on the squad when Will Coleman had to drop out. She finished nineteenth overall.
Nick Haness may be based in California, but he is a nationwide phenomenon who was saluted with USEF’s Naitonal Equestrian of the Year trophy.
Nick Haness
The leading hunter rider at Devon two years in a row, Nick kept his winning form throughout 2024 to be a standout in major competitions. They included winning winning the $100,000 USHJA WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular, and the $100,000 WCHR West Coast Hunter Spectacular, as well as earning the leading hunter rider title at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show.
Haness was one of the riders of McQueen, who was named National Horse of the Year.
Owned by Walkenbach Equestrian, he also was shown successfully in the amateur ranks by Lanie Walkenbach.
The International Horse of the Year title went to Signe Ostby’s Caracole de la Roque, ridden by Ostby’s son, Karl Cook, to the Olympic team silver medal. That duo also won the prestigious Rolex Grand Prix of Rome.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Lendon Gray, an Olympic team member in dressage who these days is better known for her contributions to sport beyond her riding.
An A-rated Pony Clubber while she was growing up in Maine, she was recognized for taking non-traditional mounts to the top of the sport. One of her most famous partners was Seldom Seen, a Connemara/Thoroughbred cross who stood just 14.2 hands but bested his larger competition up through Grand Prix level.
Seeking to foster the development of good all-around horsemanship in the younger generations of equestrians, Gray created the Youth Dressage Festival in 1999. In addition to a traditional dressage test, competitors at the Festival are also tasked with completing a written test on riding theory and stable management and a group equitation test. In line with Gray’s mission, all three sections carry equal weight for the overall results.
The Festival marked the beginning of Dressage4Kids (D4K) which provides dressage athletes, coaches, and officials with opportunities and support as they advance in the sport. D4K has grown over the years to encompass educational programs and professional development for instructors and other adults in the industry in addition to the youth-focused training and mentoring opportunities. Through its scholarship program, D4K provides financial assistance for youth and amateur riders, as well as new professionals to access training, competition, and educational resources.
D4K’s Horse Donation Program matches competitive dressage horse and ponies with dedicated young athletes who have committed to the lifelong care of their horse. Horses and riders are carefully matched, ensuring positive outcomes for both. Horses leased through the program compete across the country at all levels, including at championship events.