Liz Halliday nominated for US Equestrian of the Year 2024
US Equestrian has announced the nominations for the 2024 Equestrian of the Year with the winner to be announced during the 2024 Pegasus Awards Dinner on Thursday 23rd January at the 2025 US Equestrian Annual Meeting in Lexington, Kentucky.
Paris 2024 Olympian Elisabeth (Liz) Halliday is one of two nominees for this year’s William C. Steinkraus Trophy, presented to an equestrian competing in the Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing, or show jumping.
Karl Cook (Showjumping) has also been nominated while Para Dressage riders Rebecca Hart and Fiona Howard have been nominated for the Becky Grand Hart Trophy, presented to international-level non-Olympic athletes.
Liz Halliday’s Road to Recovery #KeepFightingLiz
Liz and her horse Cooley Nutcracker made their Olympic debut at Paris 2024, finishing 19th overall in individual competition, after a very successful first half of the year.
A 2023 Santiago Pan American Games team silver medallist, Liz achieved a top ten finish at the Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L in April 2024 riding Cooley Nutcracker as well as a top twenty finish at CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S with Shanroe Cooley in July, contributing to the U.S. Team’s silver-medal winning performance.
But in August 2024, Liz was competing at the USEA American Eventing Championships in her home state of Kentucky when she sustained a traumatic brain injury during a fall on cross country. After several weeks in Intensive Care, Liz was able to be moved to the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Chicago where she continues to make steady progress.
During her recovery period her horses, including her Olympic horse Cooley Nutcracker, have been found interim homes with top US riders and her family continue to keep the eventing community updated with regular updates on Liz’s website.
Their latest update from November 23rd says that “we continue to be focused on being with Liz for each and every step on her rehabilitation journey. Her grit and determination shines through each day and her body continues to show increased stamina.
After spending time at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab we are more confident than ever that Liz is with the best team possible, and her daily progress and work ethic is evident to them as well as us”
The Equestrians of the Year nominees are put forward by their USEF affiliate organisation or USEF breed or discipline committee, and the finalists are selected by the USEF Awards Committee, with the final decision determined by member voting.
Voting is open now through 11:59pm ET on December 31st (USEF account holders only). Click here to vote now.
Find out more about Liz in our video interview At Home with Liz Halliday here
