United States Eventing Association

Liz Halliday Leads the Way for Team USA With Nutcracker at 2024 Paris Olympic Games

Paris, France—July 27— Following dressage at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Team USA sits in sixth place overall. The competition was tough, the atmosphere was electric, and the test challenging, but all-in-all each rider was full of nothing but praise for their equine partners and a positive outlook going into cross-country tomorrow.

"I am trying not to cry here," said an emotional Halliday following her dressage test in Versailles aboard Nutcracker (typically referred to as Cooley Nutcracker outside of the Olympic Games). "I cried on the Olympic TV which is kind of embarrassing ."

Halliday was named to Team USA with Deniro Z to compete at the 2021 Tokyo Games but did not get to travel to represent her country after Deniro had a last-minute hoof complication. She was selected as the traveling reserve to this year's team, but was bumped up to the competition string at the very last minute after Will Coleman opted to withdraw his mount Diabolo.

"It's a really odd place to be in emotionally," Halliday continued, "because the first thing I felt was devastation for Will because I've been there before—Tokyo, I was in [the same position], and I didn't get to go. And so you're overwhelmed with the fact that you move into the spot, and also overwhelmed with sadness for your teammate who equally earned his spot here. And then it's time to sort of get to business, and it goes from shock to, 'Oh my gosh,' to 'OK, now I'm going to just be a competitor again.' I'm absolutely thrilled with how my young horse performed in there. He was spectacular."

Halliday and The Nutcracker Syndicate's 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tolan R x Ballyshan Cleopatra) are the highest-placed U.S. pair just inside the top-20 in 19th place with a dressage score of 28.0.

She noted that the dressage test they were required to perform at this year's Games was challenging for a horse "Bali's" age, but she was beyond proud of how he performed in the energetic ring.

"He's actually really taken a big leap forward in just the last two weeks in some of his work, and I've sort of changed around some things,” she said. “I just tried to make him more relaxed and really let it flow. I think that's helped. He still needs a little bit of work on the changes, of course, but they are improving."

The remaining two U.S. team members, Caroline Pamukcu and Boyd Martin, sit 25th and 26th respectively.

Pamukcu is riding the team's youngest equine entry, the 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding HSH Blake (Tolan R x Doughiska Lass). They scored a 30.4q on the flat which Pamukcu hopes she and "Blake" will continue to build upon to result in a positive team score across the weekend.

"The whole goal for this weekend is not individual performance, is team performance,” she said. “I'm here to give the best consistent dressage test, the best consistent cross-country, and the best consistent show jump round. Because the team medal is more important than anything else, especially looking forward towards [the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics]."

Pamukcu co-owns Blake with her husband Deniz Pamukcu, mother Sherrie Martin, and long-time supporter Mollie Hoff. The pair were the pathfinders for the U.S. team at Caroline’s first-ever Olympic outing. She credits many of the programs she and Blake have participated in over the years for her positive mental space when pitted against such a big atmosphere.

"The biggest thing is, I'm so proud to be produced by the USEF and USEA programs. I feel like I've been doing this my whole life,” she said. “Blake and I grew up through the [USEA Young Event Horse] and Young Rider program. I don't mind being the first one out, because I feel like this is just another show to me. I just spent a month in Ireland and England with Leslie Law for the [U.S. Eventing European Development Tour]. I was a little bit the anchor rider there and had to be a pathfinder with some things, and I don't mind again this weekend."

She credits her strong relationship with Blake for his ability to perform at this prestigious level at such a young age and is grateful for his partnership.

"Blake is my best friend. I take him for a bareback hacks and I'm with him every single day. I adore him and he adores me,” she said.

She is looking forward to entering the start box with her best friend where she thinks he will truly shine.

"I have to say, going into dressage today, I definitely took the pressure off myself, because it's not going to be a dressage show," said Caroline. "That cross-country and the time faults, and with all the rain last night, it's gonna be a shake-em-upper sort-of course. It's not going to be easy. And if other people are saying it's easy... no way."

Martin and the Annie Goodwin Syndicate's 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Fedarman B (Eurocommerce Washington x Paulien B) wrapped up the team standings after the first phase just a fraction of a point behind Pamukcu with a score of 30.5.

"It was an awesome test except for two moments that I felt were disastrous," noted Martin after his test. "I really felt like 'Bruno' went in there and just was such a champion in there and was with me every step of the way. Our left-to-right flying changes have been a bit of a muddle in the lead-up to this event. We've been getting it really good at home and in training, but just when the atmosphere is a bit electric out there, he's got a bit of anxiety, and I think I mistimed my aids a little bit. I felt like I gave my all, and it would have been awesome to have had four great changes, but it wasn't to be today. I feel like we still came out of it with a respectable score. Other than the flying changes, I think that was our best work ever."

But he doesn't have to worry about those flying changes going into cross-country tomorrow.

"It's a hell of a course out there, but I feel like my horse is tailor-made for this sort of track,” he said. “I get the nervous wait of going at the end, and hopefully the girls come out and do a cracking round, which I'm sure they will, and I just got to stay switched on for every jump, every stride. I've got complete belief in Bruno in the cross-country, and he's ready to go."

This isn't the first time Martin has felt the pressure of being the team's anchor rider across his career.

"In every championship, I've even gone first or last. I've never been in the middle,” he said. “There's pressure going first—there's pressure going last. Every jump counts, and every moment counts. You can learn a bit by watching some of the others and getting feedback, but then with this rain, the ground will be a bit ripped up, and that could be an extra challenge going later. I feel like the American horses are in a great place, and it's our opportunity to really have a crack at this."

A full press release on the entire dressage phase at this year’s Games will be published later today.

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