Ocala Horse Properties’ Deniro Z and Halliday-Sharp Bring Home Wire to Wire Win at Plantation Field International!

Fresh off her incredible record breaking win with Ocala Horse Properties’ Deniro Z at Great Meadow International, Liz Halliday-Sharp came to Unionville with the plan to repeat that performance. With her entire team of owners present from Ocala Horse Properties and the Monster Partnership, a weekend in the scenic countryside of Pennsylvania was the perfect way to kick off the fall eventing season.

This was Liz and Ocala Horse Properties’ first trip to the famed rolling hills of Unionville Pennsylvania for one of the top FEI events in the country. Liz brought 4 horses with her; Competing in the CCI 3 Star Cooley Be Cool, owned by The Monster Partnership and Ocala Horse Properties, and competing in the CCI 4 Star was Cooley Quicksilver, also owned by the Monster Partnership and Ocala Horse Properties, Flash Cooley, owned by Pru Dawes, and Deniro Z, owned by Ocala Horse Properties.

Although the event was held without spectators, there was plenty of camaraderie amongst the owners, trainers, riders and event staff. The cool fall weather and exceptional grass turf offered the perfect environment for the horses competing at this exceptional FEI competition.

The horses performed beautifully, and the team at Ocala Horse Properties and the Monster Partnership were delighted with their final results. Cooley Be Cool, the newest member of Liz’s and the syndication group’s string, was imported in 2019 and has not disappointed. Adding only 2.8 time penalties to his dressage score, this striking grey won the 4th place prize in a competitive division on a final score of 29.0.

With three other horses in the CCI 4 Star division, Liz and her amazing team, Elizabeth Gill and Claire Tisckos, had their hands full but handled the weekend like pros. Cooley Quicksilver, owned by the Monster Partnership and Ocala Horse Properties had a very solid weekend finishing in 13th on a 43.6. Liz and Flash Cooley, owned by Pru Dawes, had a bit of a bobble through the water, which resulted in an unfortunate fall. Liz, showing true grit after sustaining a black eye, didn’t miss a beat heading back out on course for her final ride of the day on Deniro Z.

Her plan with Ocala Horse Properties’ Deniro Z was to tighten up her incredible performance after their win at Great Meadow International. They headed out on course hoping for a smoother round, which they delivered with the exception of one heart stopping moment through the first water. Niro jumped in big to the water, resulting in a tight exit over the skinny out of the combination and another smack to the face. With a bloody nose, she carried on in warrior fashion to finish smack on the optimum time, thus sealing their victory!

During the prize presentation and media interview, Liz expanded upon their amazing finish. |

“Deniro Z is such a star,” said Halliday-Sharp. “I rode him around his first event ever, a few years ago now, and we’re just a good team. For the most part I felt the round was spot-on, I wanted to finish on the optimum time, I didn’t want to come in way inside the time or anything crazy, I just wanted a good round. I had a little bit of an exciting moment at the first water where he jumped so big over the jump in and then got really deep to the skinny and he sort of hooked a little leg and smacked me in the face, so I was seeing double on the way to the coffin, but luckily my vision came back just before we had to jump in! It shows what a great horse he is, he didn’t look at anything. He’s a world-class horse and I’m just lucky to ride him.”

She said she plans to compete him at the CCI4*-L at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in November, and has her eye on the US Eventing Team at the Tokyo Olympic Games next summer.

Earlier in the day Halliday-Sharp had a fall when she was riding Flash Cooley around the four-star, which left her with a black eye. “He’s still green and very careful, and he just panicked a little and jumped into the middle,” she said. Cooley Quicksilver, owned by The Monster Partnership, finished 13th overall, and Cooley Be Cool, owned by The Monster Partnership and Ocala Horse Properties, finished fourth in the CCI3*-S.

The team at Ocala Horse Properties wishes to congratulate the committee at Plantation Field International for running a spectacular event for all the participants. After the thrill of watching her compete in Virginia and Pennsylvania, they are anticipating a final 2020 road trip to the Tryon International CCI4* in mid-November. Upon completion of that event, Ocala Horse Properties looks forward to Halliday-Sharp Eventing returning to their home base in Marion County, at Horse Power Equestrian.

For the complete Plantation Field International Press Release, please click here.

For Full Results, please click here.

To learn more about why Liz Halliday-Sharp chooses to base Horse Power Equestrian in Ocala and to inquire about Ocala horse farm and properties available for sale in Marion County, please reach out to our team at Ocala Horse Properties. We’d love to show you why Ocala is officially, “The Horse Capitol of the World.”

We hope you enjoy our photo collection of Cooley Quicksilver and Deniro Z from the weekend at Plantation Field International!