Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian recognized multiple outstanding equestrians during the 2024 Pegasus Award Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting in Lexington, Ky., on January 23. 

Among the honorees were the 2024 International Equestrian of the Year, Liz Halliday, and the 2024 National Equestrian of the Year, Nick Haness. Halliday and Haness were nominated as Equestrians of Honor and selected by US Equestrian member voting in December.  

2024 International Equestrian of the Year – Liz Halliday 

Elisabeth “Liz” Halliday (Lexington, Ky.) began riding when she was 8 years old as a member of the United States Pony Club. The California native moved to England in 2000 to work for famed eventer William Fox-Pitt and was based in Europe for many years before 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 with Deborah Halliday's HHS Cooley. She has also brought numerous horses to top ten finishes at the level, including Ocala Horse Properties, LLC's Deniro Z, The Monster Partnership's Cooley Quicksilver, and The Nutcracker Syndicate's Cooley Nutcracker. Halliday has represented the U.S. Eventing Team in several FEI 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 secure the win. 

In 2023, the pair saw success at CHIO Aachen with a 5th place finish in the CCIO4*-S. They went on to be a part of the silver medal-winning team at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. 

Halliday continued her consistency in 2024, marking several top results with both Cooley Nutcracker and Miks Master C, with a top-ten finish coming for Cooley Nutcracker at the Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L in April, as well as a top-twenty finish at CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S with Shanroe Cooley in July, contributing to the U.S. Team’s second-place finish. The pair were named as traveling reserves for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker went on to make their Olympic debut, 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. Her family asked Erin Sudikas, an emergency room nurse at the University of Kentucky who was a volunteer at the American Eventing Championships, to accept the award on her behalf. 

“No matter what discipline you do, it is your community in each discipline, but also as a whole shown by all the breeds and all the people that are here tonight. And Liz is really one of the first ones in the professional industry who truly showed me what it means to not only be in a community, but to step forward and be there for people who are also in the community, even if they don't know you,” said Sudikas during the acceptance speech. 

“The Liz smile is iconic among the eventing community. I got to see Liz about a month ago, that smile is out in full force, and she is there and she is herself. I'm just so proud of her.” 

“I’m proud of all she's accomplished in her life, but I'm even more proud of her now. And no matter where her career and her life go, I think we can all say the same. We're so proud of you, Liz.” 

Halliday is the 2024 recipient of the William C. Steinkraus Trophy, which is presented to an equestrian competing in the Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing, or show jumping. 


2024 National Equestrian of the Year – Nick Haness 

Since his time as a junior, Nick Haness (San Clemente, Calif.) has consistently exceeded expectations and established himself as one of the top hunter/jumper riders and trainers in the United States. 

Haness took the hunter world by storm in 2024. At the 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, owned by Romance Sport Horses, at the Traverse City Horse Shows Spring II in Michigan. Through his successes he was invited to compete 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. “Being here tonight has been incredibly inspiring to me, to listen to the stories, to hear these amazing things that horses do for us and bring into our lives. I just cherish being a part of this equestrian community so much; it makes up our lives and our livelihoods, but it's really all about the horses." 

Haness is the 2024 winner of the Emerson Burr Trophy, an award presented to an equestrian competing with any horse or pony breed shown in over-fences hunter classes. 

2024 USEF Heart Horse Award – Kilcarna French Fancy “Arnie” 

To read all about Arnie and his impact on his community, click here. 

The USEF Heart Horse Award was developed to bring recognition to the work horses are doing in the organizations that are a part of the USEF Community Outreach Program. These organizations share in US Equestrian’s goals of increasing access to horses, horse sports, and equine-based learning opportunities. 

In addition to being named the inaugural recipient of the award, Great Oak Equine Assisted Therapies also received $500 and a complimentary bit courtesy of Neue Schule. Neue Schule USA President Mette Larsen was there to present the award and congratulate Arnie on this win.  


2024 USEF Equestrians of Honor 

11 equestrians were named Equestrians of Honor and recognized for their achievements in 2024 with the following trophies:  

• Norman K. Dunn Trophy – Lynn Peeples (Morgan) and Andrew Sellman (Arabian) 

• C.J. “June” Cronan Trophy – Ashton Kiesner (Arabian) 

• Barbara Worth Oakford Trophy – Colby Powell (Arabian) 

• Bill Robinson Trophy – James Taylor (Morgan) 

• Vaughan Smith Trophy – Kristin McKillop (Arabian) 

• Emerson Burr Trophy – Nick Haness (Hunter/Jumper) 

• William C. Steinkraus Trophy – Karl Cook (Jumping) and Liz Halliday (Eventing) 

• Becky Grand Hart Trophy – Rebecca Hart (Para Dressage) and Fiona Howard (Para Dressage) 

 

2024 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award – Lendon Gray

Lendon Gray’s influence on American dressage cannot be overstated. Her record as an athlete is remarkable, having represented the U.S. at the Moscow 1980 Olympics Games (alternate), the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games, and the 1991 FEI World Cup Final in Paris. However, her impact on the sport is most evident through her decades-long commitment to youth-focused dressage education and programming. 

A lifelong equestrian, Gray (Bedford, N.Y.) enjoyed riding all types of horses and ponies in her home in Old Town, Maine. She was a devoted Pony Club member, earning her A-rating at age 16. It wasn’t until age 27 that Gray decided to focus on dressage, leading to her competitive successes from the late 1970s into the 1990s. She was noted for taking non-traditional equines—ponies in particular—to the top of the sport. One of her most famous partners was Seldom Seen, a Connemara/Thoroughbred cross who stood just 14.2 hands but bested his larger competition up through Grand Prix level. 

Seeking to foster the development of good all-around horsemanship in the younger generations of equestrians, Gray created the Youth Dressage Festival in 1999. In addition to a traditional dressage test, competitors at the Festival are also tasked with completing a written test on riding theory and stable management and a group equitation test. In line with Gray’s mission, all three sections carry equal weight for the overall results. 

The Festival marked the beginning of Gray’s Dressage4Kids (D4K), an organization that provides dressage athletes, coaches, and officials with a wide range of opportunities and support as they advance in the sport. Despite the name, D4K has grown over the years to now encompass educational programs and professional development for instructors and other adults in the industry in addition to the youth-focused training and mentoring opportunities. Through its scholarship program, D4K provides financial assistance for youth and amateur riders as well as new professionals to access training, competition, and educational resources. 

D4K’s Horse Donation Program matches competitive dressage horse and ponies with dedicated young athletes who have committed to the lifelong care of their horse. Horses and riders are carefully matched, ensuring positive outcomes for both. Horses leased through the program can be seen competing across the country at all levels, including at championship events like the FEI North American Youth Championships and U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions. 

Gray’s selfless sharing of her knowledge and enthusiasm for the sport of dressage and good horsemanship has created a ripple effect that has raised the bar for equestrianism across the country. 

“I love being able to encourage them [students], to go home and start a riding program. Be the trainer of young horses. Be the proud trainer of the average riders,” said Gray in her acceptance speech.  

“Thank you very much to everyone at USEF,  and especially thank you to the wonderful horses that have given me an opportunity and the amazing volunteers that are behind what I do that make it possible for me to stand up here, but they all should be up here with me.” 


Junior Equestrian of the Year – Paige Walkenbach 

The 2024 season was an exceptional one for junior rider Paige Walkenbach (Paradise Valley, Ariz.) The versatile athlete amassed an impressive list of top results across the hunter, jumper, and equitation classes at some of the country’s most competitive shows. 

Walkenbach kicked off the year at the Winter Equestrian Festival, securing wins in the Junior Hunter 3’6” classes with Marnell Sport Horse’s 2015 Oldenburg gelding, Babylon, and Walkenbach Equestrian LLC’s 2014 Belgian Warmblood mare, Ever So Often, and 2014 Hanoverian gelding, San Pedro 15. 

The 2024 Adequan®/USEF Junior Hunter National Championships were huge successes for Walkenbach, who rode to champion titles on both coasts. At the East championship, she won the overall 3’6” Grand Championship with Babylon and the 3’6” Large Junior Hunter San Pedro 15. At the West championship, she won the 3’6” Small Junior Hunter 16-17 Championship with Ever So Often. 

With her 2013 Selle Français gelding, Princeton, she topped a class of 30 to win the USHJA National Hunter Derby at Old Salem Farm in May and the $25,000 USHJA National Hunt & Go Derby for Juniors and Amateurs at the USHJA National Championship in November. 

In the equitation ring, Walkenbach rode Cent 15 to Reserve Champion in the California Professional Horsemen’s Association 3’6” Junior Medal Finals, Champion at the NHSAA/ASPCA Maclay Region 8 Championship, and Reserve Champion in the North American Junior Equitation Championship at Capital Challenge. 

In November, Walkenbach was the reserve champion at the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search – West riding Bigtalu G Z. The pair went on to the Las Vegas National Horse Show where they won the championship in the CPHA WCE Medal Finals and Walkenbach was named the show’s overall leading equitation. 

“I am very grateful just to have been nominated for this prestigious award and to be recognized as the USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year is truly beyond anything I could have imagined,” said Walkenbach in her acceptance speech. “In 2024, I was fortunate enough to show at the top circuits and competitions around the country. I had the privilege to share my year with exceptional horses, Babylon and Cent 15, but also prove I could be a strong competitor on horses like San Pedro 15 and Let's Go.” 

“All I can say is thank you. Thank you to USEF for this award. Thank you to USHJA for graciously nominating me as their hunter/jumper candidate. Thank you to Elvenstar, especially Jennifer. Thank you to Jim and Javi for always believing in me and to my family for your support. Thank you to every other trainer who has guided me in my junior years: Kay, Sherry, Henry, John, and Kim. And most of all, thank you to the horses who have forever changed my life. None of this would have been possible without their endless kindness.” 


2024 Pegasus Award Recipients  

In addition to the above awards, the following annual award recipients were recognized at this year’s Pegasus Awards Dinner. 

• USEF/EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian Award – Mary Elena Moran 

• Interscholastic & Intercollegiate Awards – Auburn University Tigers, University of Lynchburg, and Southern Methodist University 

• USEF National Youth Sportsman’s Award – Hannah Hiiva 

• Kip Rosenthal Memorial High Score Equitation Award – Taylor Crawley 

• The Richard E. McDevitt Award of Merit – Margaret “Sissie” Anderton, Trish Gilbert, Larry Jerome, Fran Steinwedell, Patty Stovel 

• Pegasus Medal of Honor – Fran Dotoli, John Roper, Tina Wentz, Lisa Gorretta, Cindy Mugnier 

• Ellen Scripps Davis Memorial Breeders’ Award – Dr. Tom Sayvetz and Larry Jerome 

• Walter B. Devereux Sportsmanship Award – Cynthia Richardson 

• Sallie Busch Wheeler Trophy – Melissa Moore 

 

View the 2024 Pegasus Awards Dinner Below

Find more information on the 2025 US Equestrian Annual Meeting, visit  www.usef.org/annual-meeting and follow US Equestrian on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.