U.S. Equestrian Announces Changes for U.S. Olympic Eventing Team Before Start of Paris 2024

By U.S. Equestrian Communications Dept.

Versailles, France – U.S. Equestrian has announced a team change to the U.S. Olympic Eventing Team prior to the start of competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Traveling reserve combination Liz Halliday and Nutcracker will move into the three-member team, replacing Will Coleman and Diabolo. Halliday, of Lexington, Ky., is a C-3 alum from Fallbrook Pony Club in Southern California and an inductee into the 2008 United States Pony Clubs (USPC) Academy of Achievement. For an interview between Liz Halliday and USPC staff on the Pony Club Podcast, visit https://blog.ponyclub.org/2023/06/09/5-event-rider-liz-halliday-sharp-and-nyb-chair-lydia-eilinger.

“The last 48 hours have truly been tough for our team, but particularly for Will Coleman,” said Chef d’Equipe Bobby Costello. “Off The Record looked well in training camp, but Will’s direct reserve, Diabolo, continued to impress, and was physically in such great condition, so we made the decision to place him into the team roster before moving to the venue. Diabolo trotted up 100% sound prior to shipping from training camp and arrived at the venue happy and fit. Unfortunately, shortly after settling into stabling, he showed significant signs of discomfort and the team immediately got to work to address a potential abscess in the right front foot. Team Farrier Beck Ratte; Dr. Susan Johns; Diabolo’s groom Hailey Burlock; and Will’s wife, Katie, were so diligent and tireless in treating Diabolo, and he did in fact trot up sound last night.”

“With that said, we felt after weighing the risk, it was not in Diabolo’s or the team’s best interest for him to move forward with the competition this week,” continued Costello. “We’re all truly devastated for Will and his entire team. It takes so much work to get to this moment, and it’s just such an unfortunate turn of events. We’ve got to look forward though, and with that said, we’re heading into this competition with four competitive horses, and l feel very confident in this team’s ability to be successful here in Paris.”

This will be Liz Halliday’s first Olympic appearance for Team USA, and will bring forward Nutcracker, a 2014 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tolan R. x Cobra) owned by Chris Desino, Rob Desino, Deborah Halliday, Liz Halliday, and Renee Lane and cared for by Abby Steger. She will join Boyd Martin, of Cochranville, Pa., who is also a Pony Club alum from Australia, and Fedarman B, a 2010 KWPN gelding (Eurocommerce Washington x Fedor) owned by the Annie Goodwin Syndicate and cared for by Stephanie Simpson, and Caroline Pamukcu, of Springtown, Pa., and HSH Blake, a 2015 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tolan R. x Kannan) owned by Mollie Hoff, Sherrie Martin, Caroline Pamukcu, and Deniz Pamukcu, and cared for by Chloe Teahan. Pamukcu (formerly Martin), is certified as a D-3 EV. She’s certainly come a long way since the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, where she won Individual Gold in Eventing and was part of the Silver-medal winning Eventing team.

Sydney Elliott, of Hoffman, N.C., and QC Diamantaire, a 2010 Oldenburg gelding (Diarado x Sandro Hit) owned by Carol Stephens and cared for by Caitlin Martin, will now move into the team’s traveling reserve position and join the team at the venue. Elliott is an H-B HM, C-3 EV alum from the Gator Bayou Pony Club in the Red River Region, where she has also been a co-District Commissioner, and she was also part of the U.S. Eventing Team at the 2023 Pan American Games, where she helped the team win silver! For an interview with Elliott and former Pony Club staff on the Pony Club Podcast, visit https://blog.ponyclub.org/2021/06/24/sydney-elliott.

The first phase of dressage will begin at 9:30 a.m. GMT+2/3:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, July 27, with ride times published following the first horse inspection.

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