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, July 20-24 in Kalispell, MT.
“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.”
Top Canadian in this division was Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo, who placed 4th. Lisa Marie Fergusson, sitting 19th with Honor Me after dressage, withdrew before cross-country.
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, 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 4*s in either division to ride a double clean round in show jumping on the final day.
Alyssa Phillips on her own Oskar made the trek from the East Coast for a second-place finish, and Dani Sussman on her Jos Bravio rounded out the division in third.
Halliday-Sharp rode into first place in the Horse Scout Design CCI4*-S on her new pairing with Miks Master C, 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. owned by Julianne Guariglia. and Danito. owned by Ruth Bley. Her longtime ride Danito 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 during her rides!
In the CCI3*-L Halliday-Sharp on Cooley Nutcracker, 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, PA, showed her long-time partnership with her own RF Eloquence (Bobby), 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 Kerry Groot, another double-placing finisher, waving the Canadian flag. Groot and her own Borasco finished with 43.9 on their cross-country score. Lucienne Bellissimo on Horse Scout Eventing’s Tremanton placed second and 19-year old Taylor McFall took third on Stoneman (Stoney), owned by Cheron Laboissonniere. Sabrina Glaser of Langley, BC, placed 5th in this division riding Cooley Mr. Murphy.
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 rider-owned Loughton Cici ZA took first, followed by Kerry Groot and her own Super Nova, while Talley’s Rappahannock, owned by Lynn Berry, locked in third.
Results here:
~ with files from Aspen Communications
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