Eventing Nation reported that American eventing rider Liz Halliday has received the Grade II designation to ride in para dressage.
Halliday made a remarkable recovery from a traumatic brain injury sustained in a fall on cross country in August of 2024.
Grade II
The Lexington, Ky based rider has now returned to equestrian sport but switching disciplines: from eventing to para dressage. She hasn't lost her spirit to compete and has requested a Grade designation to ride para dressage.
“The best news yet is that I traveled with Mark and my mom last week to TerraNova in Florida so that I could be graded to compete in Para Dressage,” Liz took to Facebook. “The grading didn’t involve riding this time but did allow officials to assess which group I belong in from a capability standpoint at this stage in my recovery. I am proud to say that I am now officially an FEI Grade 2 Para Dressage rider!”
Liz’s Grade II designation is described as “Walk and trot tests. Typically for riders with severe impairment in one or two limbs, or moderate impairment in all four limbs and trunk.”
Liz Halliday
Elisabeth "Liz" Halliday has been competing internationally in eventing since 2002. She showed at the World Young eventing horse championships five times between 2014 and 2022, at the 2023 Pan American Games on Team USa and at the 2024 Olympics in Paris on Cooley Nutcracker.
She sustained traumatic brain injury in a fall at the USEA American Eventing Championships in Kentucky in August 2024 and underwent surgery for brain swelling. She has been in long-term rehabilitation, leaving her with significant right-side impairment. She returned to riding in early 2026.
On 22 April 2026 Halliday sold her nearly 61-acre equestrian property near Ocala, Florida, for $4.45 million to a Chicago-based real estate investment firm.
Read the full story on Eventing Nation
Photo © Dirk Caremans