Will Coleman and Off The Record. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The Paris Olympics are less than one month away. It is exciting to think of all the athletes around the world who are making their final preparations for the Games. They are under immense pressure to deliver the best performances they can at one of the biggest contests they will ever face in their careers.
Three-day eventing has managed to maintain its place as an Olympic sport, although it is now run in a shortened format with only three horse and rider pairs per team, plus a travelling reserve. The U.S. Team consists of veterans Will Coleman and Boyd Martin as well as Olympic first-timer Caroline Pamukcu. Liz Halliday is the Traveling Reserve. With some incredible performances in the last couple of years, including a Team Silver medal at the World Championships in 2022, the American team looks poised for a podium finish in Paris.
One way to learn more about the athletes on the U.S. Team is to delve into some of Ride iQ’s podcasts. You can listen to interviews with all four members of the team on In Stride, Ride iQ’s fantastic podcast led by host Sinead Maynard, who has herself ridden at the World Championships for the U.S. Team. I will shamelessly admit that I have listened to every episode of the In Stride podcast series. Sinead is an awesome host because she has so much experience of her own, and she is curious to probe into the lives of other horse professionals.
Boyd Martin and Fedarman B. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
You can listen to the In Stride podcasts with Will Coleman, Boyd Martin, Caroline Pamukcu, and Liz Halliday wherever you get your podcasts. Each of the podcasts is a free-flowing dialogue where these Olympic athletes touch upon many different topics.
In the podcast with Caroline Pamukcu, Sinead discusses various topics related to balancing a business and a competitive career, including maintaining a routine and a healthy lifestyle on the road during the competition season, how her sales business has helped grow her competitive career, how growing up in the young rider and Under-25 programs helped mold her career, and her thought process behind deciding who to work and train with. Caroline also talks about learning to deal with competitive pressure while staying levelheaded.
Sinead interviews Will Coleman about his upbringing in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the influence of his equestrian family background. He discusses how he balanced college studies with pursuing a career in horse riding, and the challenges and lessons learned during Will’s early years as a professional event rider. Will is pensive and reflective about the importance of mindset and personal growth in his sporting career, and he also draws upon insights from other sports, such as golf. Finally, Will discusses the trajectory of USA high performance in eventing and the need for continuous improvement.
Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Boyd Martin talks extensively with Sinead about how he has set up his life to help fuel his competitive success. Boyd talks about growing up in Australia with two Olympic athletes as parents: his mother a speed skater, and his father a cross-country ski racer.
Boyd talks through his decision to move to America, and the culture shock he experienced when he first came over.
Finally, in Liz Halliday’s episode, Sinead talks to Liz about navigating the highs and lows of eventing. Liz reflects upon how she was named to the Tokyo Olympic eventing team, but had to withdraw because her horse sustained a minor injury. They also have an interesting discussion about how Liz’s former career as a professional racing driver in sportscar and GT endurance disciplines impacts her competitive mindset as an event rider. Liz was the most successful female driver in the American Le Mans series, with no less than six victories, and she emphasizes how this experience gave her an amazing ability to deal with pressure.
Liz Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker. Photo by Sally Spickard.
What all of these conversations highlight is that there is no singular way to the top of the sport. However, one thing that all of these athletes have in common—and you can tell from the way they talk about the sport and approach their careers—is an incredible drive to be the best in the world. Take a listen!
