LEXINGTON, Ky.--US Equestrian recognized outstanding equestrians during the Award Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting in Lexington, Ky., on Jan. 23.
Liz Halliday (Photo by Shannon Brinkman)Among the honorees were the 2024 International Equestrian of the Year, Liz Halliday, and the 2024 National Equestrian of the Year, Nick Haness, Caracole de la Roque, the 2024 International Horse of the Year, and McQueen,the 2024 National Horse of the Year
ELISABETH "LIZ" HALLIDAY of Lexington, Ky., began riding when she was 8 and moved to England in 2000 to work for famed eventer William Fox-Pitt, bringing her operation to the U.S. with locations in Ocala, Fla., and Lexington, Ky., in 2020.
Halliday completed her first CCI5*-L in 2016 at the Kentucky Three-Day Event on HHS Cooley.
She has also ridden umerous horses to top 10 finishes at the level, including Deniro Z, Cooley Quicksilve, and Cooley Nutcracker.
Halliday has ridden in Nations Cup competitions, including the 2022 CCIO4*-S at Bromont in Canada, where she rode Miks Master C to individual victory and led the U.S. team to win.
In 2023 on Miks Mser Cwhen ws5th at CHIO Aachen in the CCIO4*-S and was a part of the silver medal-winning team at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
Halliday had a top 10 finish on Cooley Nutcracker at the Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L in April, 2024 as well as a top 20 finish at CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S with Shanroe Cooley in July, contributing to the U.S. Team’s second-place finish.
Halliday on Cooley Nutcracker made herr Olympic debut in 2024, finishing 19th overall in individual competition.
In late 2024, Liz sustained an injury competing in the American Eventing Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.
Erin Sudikas, an emergency room nurse at the University of Kentucky who was a volunteer at the American Eventing Championships, accepted the award on her behalf.
NICK HANESS of San Clemente, Calif., is one of the top hunter/jumper riders and trainers in the United States.
At the 2024 Pennsylvania National Horse Show, he was Green Conformation Hunter Champion, Green Hunter Grand Champion, and Grand Hunter Champion.
In June, he won the 3’0-3’3” Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Champion riding Custom Romance, at the Traverse City Horse Shows Spring II in Michigan.
He competed as one of the top 10 nationally ranked riders at the World Championship Hunter Rider Capitol Challenge, winning the following: USHJA WCHR Central Hunter Spectacular Champion; USHJA WCHR West Coast Hunter Spectacular Champion; and USHJA WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular Champion.
Nick owns and trains at Hunterbrook Farms, where he not only houses his own and client’s horses but other exotic animals.
Hunterbrook is home to camels, zebras, pigs, goats, and rescue miniature horses.
He currently serves on the board of directors for the Pennsylvania National Horse Show as well as the USHJA Hunter Working Group.
This will be Haness’ second time receiving the National Equestrian of the Year award, having won previously in 2019.
“I'm just incredibly honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Haness.
CARACOLE DE LA ROQUE has been one of the top horses on the international jumping scene since her career debut with France’s Julien Epaillard.
Caracole de la Roque ridden by Karl Cook (Photo by Mackenzie Clark)Ridden by Karl Cook in 2024, Caracole de la Roque finished inside the top 10 15 times in FEI competition, with major podium finishes at the CSI5* level at major events in Wellington, Rome, La Baule, and Santa Anita.
She jumped clear an impressive 27 times in FEI events in just 2024. and won the Grand Prix of Rome CSIO5* and placed second in the Grand Prix of La Baule CSIO5*.
Cook and Caracole de la Roque were initially selected as the traveling alternate combination for the U.S. Jumping Team at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games but were called onto the team after the withdrawal of Kent Farrington and Greya.
They helped the team to qualify for the Team Final.
Caracole de la Roque and Cook followed up with a second clear round, helping the U.S. Team to win the silver medal.
McQUEEN had numerous victories in the hunter ring at shows across the country in 2024.
The 2014 U.S.-bred KWPN gelding earned top spots in the amateur classes with Lanie Walkenbach and in performance hunters with Nick Haness and Javier Abad Barragán.
In February, McQueen and Haness won the $100,000 USHJA WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular during week six of the Winter Equestrian Festival.
They went on to win the reserve championship in the High-Performance Conformation Hunter division at The Devon Horse Show in May and the $100,000 WCHR Central Hunter Spectacular at Traverse City Horse Shows in June.
A highlight of McQueen’s many successes with owner Lanie Walkenbach came back home in California at the Blenheim Racing Festival in July when they won the 3’6” West Coast Amateur Owner Hunter Challenge.
Their season was capped off with victories at Desert Circuit, San Juan Capistrano International, Blenheim Surf & Turf Classic, and Traverse City Spring Horse Show.
Lanie's sister Paige Walkenbach was Junior Equestrian of the Year.
