Chef

Robert Costello

Hometown: Southern Pines, N.C. Birthday: 7/26/1965 Sport/Disciplines: Eventing

Robert "Bobby" Costello started as the U.S. Eventing Team Chef d'Equipe and Technical Advisor for the program in 2022. With a decorated career as an international athlete, actively competing up until 2010, Costello was a member of the World Championship Team and placed in the top 10 as an individual at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. As the U.S. Technical Advisor, Costello led the U.S. Eventing Team to several key championship results, including a team silver at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro Italy and a team silver at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.


Competitor

James Alliston

Hometown: San Ramon, Calif. Birthday: 10/31/1984 Sport/Disciplines: Eventing

James Alliston is a dedicated eventing athlete and trainer, known for his commitment to developing both horses and riders. In 2023, he represented the U.S. Eventing Team at Boekelo, this time riding Ric Plummer and Alliston Equestrian’s mare, Karma, where they finished on their dressage score of 35.9, leading the U.S. Eventing Team to a fourth-place finish. Alliston and Karma were named to the Defender U.S. Eventing Team for CHIO Aachen in 2024 where they were the highest-placed team combination in the 2024 SAP-Cup CCIO4*-S.

 

Nemesis

Owner: Alliston Equestrian Gender: Gelding Breed: Canadian Warmblood Disciplines: Eventing Sire: Novalis Dam: Maesy Foal Date: 4/28/2014

Nemesis, owned by Alliston Equestrian, made his international eventing debut alongside James Alliston in 2021 and quickly advanced to the top levels. In 2022, the duo debuted at the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Netherlands CCIO4*-L and earned a podium finish at the USEF Advanced Horse Trials National Championship at Rebecca Farm. The following year, they were named to the U.S. Eventing Development Program and closed out 2023 with a standout win at Twin Rivers International CCI4*-S.


Competitor

Elisabeth Halliday

Hometown: Lexington, Ky. Birthday: 12/14/1978 Sport/Disciplines: Eventing Olympic Years: 2024

Elisabeth Halliday has represented the U.S. in international eventing competition, most notably as part of the silver medal-winning team at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. She has an impressive resume of developing young event horses, including podium finishes at the FEI Young Horse World Championship in 2018 and 2019 with Cooley Moonshine. In 2020, Halliday earned the title of World Equestrian Brands USEA Rider of the Year after nine wins and 23 total top-ten finishes at FEI competitions that season.

 

Miks Master C

Nickname: Mikki Owner: Ocala Horse Properties, LLC and Deborah Palmer Groom: Mia Braundel and Abby Steger Gender: Gelding Breed: Swedish Warmblood Disciplines: Eventing Sire: Mighty Magic Dam: Qui Luma CBF Foal Date: 4/22/2012

Miks Master C (Mikki) joined Liz Halliday’s team in 2022 after beginning his career at the lower levels with Maya Black. Halliday and Miks Master C broke onto the scene together in 2023, finishing third overall at the 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L, before earning a fifth-place finish at CHIO Aachen, helping the team earn silver. In their first championship appearance, the pair went on to represent the U.S. Eventing Team at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, where they assisted in bringing home the silver medal for the U.S. Eventing team and placed seventh as an individual. In total, Halliday and Miks Master C have notched 12 career starts together, with four wins and five top-five finishes.


Competitor

Boyd Martin

Hometown: Cochranville, Pa. Birthday: 8/20/1979 Sport/Disciplines: Eventing Olympic Years: 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024

A native of Australia, Boyd Martin has competed for the U.S. since 2009. He is a three-time Olympian and has three Pan American Games gold medals to his name, including a team gold from 2015 with Pancho Villa and team and individual gold from 2019 with Tsetserleg TSF. Tsetserleg TSF was also his partner for the 2022 FEI Eventing World Championship, where they were part of the silver medal-winning team. Martin has won the USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event twice, in 2019 with Tsetserleg TSF and in 2021 with On Cue. In 2021, he and On Cue won the inaugural Maryland 5 Star, becoming the first American combination to win a CCI5* event since 2008. The 2024 season saw another strong start for Martin and his string, with his two top mounts earning consistent results at the CCI4*-S level, with both Fedarman B and Commando 3 earning top-five finishes at the CCI4*-S at the Kentucky Three-Day Event. Martin was selected for his fourth consecutive Olympics, choosing to take Fedarman B with Commando 3 as a direct reserve for Paris 2024. The duo were one of only seven combinations to jump clear in both rounds on the final day, finishing tenth individually and contributing to the team's sixth place, adding just 1.6 to their initial dressage score of 30.5. In 2025, Martin held the top of the podium at the Stable View Horse Trials CCI4*-S with Commando 3 in first and Fedarman B in second. Martin and Commando 3 attended the Defender Kentucky Three Day Event CCI5*-L, where they came in second overall and won the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship. It was this performance that led to Martin securing his position as number one on the FEI Eventing World Ranking List, the first time in 20 years since an American has held the top spot.

 

Fedarman B

Nickname: Bruno Owner: Annie Goodwin Syndicate Groom: Stephanie Simpson Gender: Gelding Breed: KWPN Disciplines: Eventing Sire: Eurocommerce Washington Dam: Paulien B Foal Date: 5/8/2010

Fedarman B (Bruno) has become one of the top-performing mounts in Boyd Martin’s string of international horses. Fedarman B was sourced, purchased, and started by the late Annie Goodwin, who Boyd continues to represent in each competition aboard the 2010 KWPN gelding. Fedarman B’s FEI record with Martin has been strong and consistent, with the pair finishing inside the top ten twice at the CCI5*-L level in 2023, with completions at Luhmühlen and Pau. The pair also finished fourth in the CCI4*-S at the Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2024, adding to their international top-five finishes as a combination.


Competitor

Alyssa Phillips

Hometown: Fort Worth, Tex. Birthday: 8/21/1996 Sport/Disciplines: Eventing

Alyssa Phillips won junior individual gold at the Adequan®/FEI North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North in 2011 when she was just 14 years old. She also took junior team gold that year and again in 2012, and junior team silver in 2014. Phillips is a rising talent and has represented the Defender U.S. Eventing Team internationally at CHIO Aachen and the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Boekelo CCIO4*-L.

 

Oskar

Nickname: Oskar Owner: Julie Phillips Gender: Gelding Breed: Holsteiner Disciplines: Eventing Sire: Coriando Dam: Marlo Foal Date: 3/26/2009