Liz Halliday’s encouraging international Eventing season continued last month thanks to an excellent top-ten finish at the Hartpury International Horse Trials held in Gloucestershire.
The California-born, British-based dual-sportswoman was delighted with a highly-encouraging performance from Bud (Newmarket Malt) in the CCI** competition that helped the pair finish ninth overall in a field of over 60 entries at the popular venue.
Bud rebounded well from a tense Dressage performance, which initially left the pair 17th, to produce a flawless clear and fast Cross Country round before knocking just one rail down in what Halliday admitted to being a particularly imposing Show Jumping test.
It’s a performance that has convinced Halliday of the horse’s true potential and given her high hopes for the future.
Liz Halliday: “I’ve always been confident in Bud’s ability, but he is a very big horse and I think it has just taken him a while to get his strength and fitness to a level where it can really shine through. His impressive showing at Hartpury last month has given me the confidence to move him up to the next grade, so I’m planning to compete him at 3* level at the beginning of next season.”
A newer member of Halliday’s Chailey Stud stable was also in action recently at Firle Place and West Wilts where Cooley (HHS Cooley) continued to make rapid progress. The young horse has shown great promise since his arrival earlier this year and again demonstrated his potential with ninth and eighth place finishes at Novice level, built around solid performances in all three phases.
Liz also enjoyed some other great rounds at West Wilts on Baloo (Darola Diamond), who finished a highly creditable 11th on his first appearance at Novice level after confidently jumping double clear, and on Kerry (Sportsfield Kerrygold) who contested the Intermediate-Novice section. Despite Kerry proving a bit strong and excitable in the Show Jumping phase, Liz was pleased with their flawless Cross Country round and impressive Dressage score of 26, leaving them feeling confident ahead of the upcoming Osberton CCI* in two weeks time.
In sadder news, Liz’s friend and long-time press officer Andy Wilkinson passed away on August 15 following complications sustained during major surgery.
“It was a real shock to all of us to lose Andy, and I will really miss him,” added Liz. “Over the almost five years that we worked together I really felt that he was a friend as much as a press officer and it is still hard to believe that he will not be there on the other end of the phone. I will never forget all of the hard work that he put into helping me with my career, and for the many, many brilliant press releases that he wrote over the years. This one’s for you Andy, I will always remember you and smile.”