Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night at Boekelo 2013. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Samantha Clark is back with another fantastic profile on our American riders based in England. This time, she interviews Liz Halliday-Sharp, whose name was relatively unknown last year until she rode in the WEG Test Event at Haras Du Pin. That put her on the map, and thanks to a successful 2013 season, she now has two horses on the High Performance Winter/Spring Training Lists. Liz is seriously one of the nicest people, and now that you know her name, you’ll have to cheer her on this season. Many thanks to Samantha for writing and to PRO for allowing us to share these excellent blog posts here on EN. Go Liz!
The East Sussex countryside where US eventer Liz Halliday-Sharp has been based for the last three years could hardly be more British – winding lanes and hedgerows dividing the rolling hills into patchwork fields. Despite having lived in England for fourteen years though, and being happily married to an Englishman, Liz still has a certain California vibe about her; maybe it’s the long, blonde hair, maybe it’s her enviable figure, or perhaps it’s her hard-to-place accent or a combination of all three but there’s definitely something rather ‘sunny’ about her!
It’s a welcome contrast to the grey, gloomy dampness and seemingly ceaseless rain that is the norm here in the UK at this time of year, and although it seems like every year might be worse than the year before, 2014 may indeed be wetter than normal; Liz’s horses have barely had any decent turn-out time since November last year. The upgrading and upkeep of Chailey Studsince they bought it three years ago has been a labour of love for Liz and her husband Allan – new footing in the massive indoor thanks to Andrew Bowen, mirrors and panelling, an equally impressive outdoor and a brand new house, fittingly in a Cape Cod meets South of England style, just a few steps from the yard.
Although Liz wishes she had more land than her existing 15 acres currently, there is a bit of everything dotted around the paddocks to cross country school over – a bank complex, skinnies and plain fences, and there may be an opportunity to expand in the future. The yard is split into two so that the ten or so hand-picked liveries have their own tack room on their side of the American-style barn, and Liz’s operation is almost entirely separate. The barn also boasts a wash stall and solarium, rubber footing and very nice accommodations for the liveries and grooms during the day.
Click here to read the full story on the PRO blog.
