United States Eventing Association

Riding four horses and winning both the Horse Scout Design CCI4*-S and CCI3*-L, Liz Halliday-Sharp locked in big wins during the final round in show jumping during the 21st running of The Event at Rebecca Farm.

“I really believe this is one of the best events in the whole world,” said Halliday-Sharp of her affection for Rebecca Farm. “We had a fantastic, legit show jumping track today, the cross-country was really great and it’s worth the travel.”

James Alliston came in for the repeat win (from 2021) in the Horse Scout Design CCI4*-L, this time on the “other brown horse,” Nemesis, the 8-year-old Canadian Warmblood gelding out of Novalis and owned by Alliston Equestrian. “He just has an intelligence about everything he does,” said Alliston of his up and comer. The duo were the only four-star in either division to ride a double clean round in show jumping on the final day.

Alyssa Phillips on her own ride, 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Oskar (Coriando x Nicole) made the trek from the East Coast for a second place finish, and Dani Sussman on her own 11-year-old Argentine Silla gelding Jos Bravio (Jos Fapillon x Remonta Guinea II) rounded out the division in third.

Halliday-Sharp rode into first-place in the Horse Scout Design CCI4*-S on her new pairing with the 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding Miks Master C (Mighty Magic x Qui Luma CBF) owned by Ocala Horse Properties and Deborah Palmer. Only months in on their partnership, she is not hesitant in saying he is one of the best horses she’s sat on her in her life and the potential for them is sky high.

Tami Smith nabbed both second and third, on Solaguayre California (Casparo x Solaguayre Calandria) an 11-year-old Argentine Sport Horse mare owned by Julianne Guariglia and Danito owned by Ruth Bley respectively. Her longtime ride, Danito (Dancier x Wie Musik) a 13-year-old Hanoverian, showed that he is ready for the action after being sidelined with an injury, and that he “Show jumped beautifully today and feels like a five-star horse.” On her second place with Solaguarye, Smith said that while she’s “spicy” she can always count on her to perform and makes it worth the daily torture she provides her rides!

In the CCI3*-L Halliday-Sharp on the 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Cooley Nutcracker (Tolant R x Ballyshan Cleopatra) owned by Deborah Halliday, Renee Lane, Ocala Horse Properties and Halliday-Sharp, finished on their dressage score of 29.4. Meg Pellegrini, the 17-year-old from Wayne, Penn., showed her long-time partnership with her own 17-year-old Holsteiner gelding RF Eloquence "Bobby" (Contender x Ginger), is paying off. When asked what she would tell others on the East Coast about attending The Event, her advice was simple, “Just come, you won’t regret it.” Pellegrini also walked away with this year’s Guinness Award for the top-placing young rider at The Event. James Alliston and Monkey, owned by Golly Martin, took third.

Topping the CCI3*-S was another double-placing finisher, waving the Canadian flag, Kerry Groot. Groot and her rider-owned, Borasco (Bravo x Fanja) a 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding, finished at 43.9 on their cross country score. Lucienne Bellissimo on Horse Scout Eventing’s 10-year-old Trakehner mare Tremanton (Grafenstolz x Trevia) placed second and 19-year old Taylor McFall took third on Stoneman "Stoney" (Grindstone x Smiler) an 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Cheron Laboissonniere.

The CCI2*-L division had Virginian Chris Talley claiming first and third. "I tried to ride each of them as individuals and to the best that I could ride them, and I think that happened today. They answered with everything they had." said Talley. Talley and his own 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Loughtown Cici ZA (CC Captain Clover x Castlelawn Diamond Clover) took first followed by Kerry Groot and her own 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding Super Nova (Bravo x Phaedra). Talley’s 6-year-old Oldenburg gelding Rappahannock (Rosenthal x Sunny Dey) owned by Lynn Berry, locked in third.