Liz Halliday attended the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event on April 23 for the first time since suffering a serious brain injury in a 2024 fall. From a wheelchair on a balcony overlooking the arena, she watched her former Olympic horse Cooley Nutcracker perform the dressage test under new rider Boyd Martin. The pair placed fifth with a score of 30.7.
Liz Halliday expressed overwhelming joy at being back in the sport she loves. 'There really aren’t words to express what today meant to me,' she said. 'To finally be back at an event for the first time since my accident… to watch my gorgeous Cooley Nutcracker go down the centre line with Boyd Martin… to hug friends I haven’t seen in so long... I am overjoyed and so grateful.' Now part of the syndicate Liz’s Nutcrackers, she supports Martin and the horse, known as 'Bali,' as an owner rather than a rider. Halliday, who recently earned grading for para dressage, urged fellow competitors and fans to approach her during the weekend event in Lexington, Kentucky. She added, 'I will be riding alongside all of you in spirit.'
