The 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention Year End Awards Ceremony saw several of the USA’s top riders and horses recognised on Saturday 9th December.
Boyd Martin – USEA Rider of the Year and Connaught Grant Recipient
It has been a busy year for Boyd Martin, who had 63 FEI eventing starts in 2023, 15 top-3 finishes and five wins at CCI4* level, earning him the World Equestrian Brands USEA Rider of the Year. Boyd was also well travelled - competing on nine horses at CCI5* level in four different countries this year.
In addition, Boyd received the $25,000 USET Connaught Grant, presented in memory of Bruce Duchossois. The Award is designed to encourage the development of US eventing horses competing at the CCI2* or CCI3* level that show potential to one day be on the U.S. Team, and was allocated to Boyd for his horse Commando 3.
“To be the USEA Rider of the Year is a huge achievement” says Boyd on his social media “In America there are a lot of top riders and so this award is getting harder and harder to win”
“Commando 3 Received the Connaught Award. He is an exceptional horse, and he looks like he has a huge future. I was lucky enough to meet Bruce Duchossois and work in the stable with Connaught when I first moved over from Australia and was working for Phillip Dutton (Connaught’s rider).
Bruce Duchossois was an incredible guy, a huge supporter of the sport and Connaught was a legendary horse so, to have an award related to these two champions is a huge accomplishment.”
The 2023 Connaught Grant recipients were Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake, who went on to win individual gold at the 2023 Pan American Games.
Liz Halliday is USEA Lady Rider of the Year
Liz Halliday has also been busy in 2023, achieving 13 FEI eventing podium finishes, including nine wins. She started with a third-place finish at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5* and later won the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final at the USEA American Eventing Championships.
Liz was also part of the US team at Aachen where her fifth-place result riding Miks Master C played an integral part in taking the team silver medal and she was also part of Team USA at the 2023 Pan American Games (Santiago, Chile), contributing to the team’s silver-medal placing.
Cosby Green takes Developing Rider U25 Award
The Essex Horse Trials Grant is presented to a developing rider aged 25 and under who is competing successfully at the CCI3* level or above and who is working towards representing the U.S. in international team competition.
The 2023 recipient of the Essex Horse Trials Grant was Cosby Green – stay tuned for our in-depth interview with Cosby coming soon.
Capitol HIM is USEA Horse of the Year
Hannah Sue Hollberg’s Capitol HIM has taken the 2023 USEA Horse of the Year Award.
The 16-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Con Air x O-Heraldika) enjoyed top-5 finishes at Bromont, the USEA $60,000 Adequan Advanced Final, and the Maryland CCI5* where he was also the highest-placed U.S. horse
