Dani G. Waldman and Lizziemary. Photo by SportFot.
Dani G. Waldman is not afraid to pick favorites. Her horse of a lifetime was unquestionably Lizziemary.
Waldman, a two-time veteran of the World Championships and a longtime champion for Team Israel, Waldman took a step away from top level sport last June—almost exactly a year from the announcement of Lizziemary's retirement.
While Waldman won't be found on a five-star rider list this winter, she is still heavily invested in the sport, and this week she is donating a free round review to a Prixview follower, in honor of the new #FearlessFeathers Capsule Collection she is launching with Karina Brez Jewelry on Sunday, Feb. 12.
So, Prixview has dived into Its archives to reexamine the very special partnership Waldman had with the chestnut Anglo European mare, with which she was partnered for three unforgettable seasons of show jumping.
Waldman and Lizziemary paired in the summer of 2016; Waldman has described their connection as "instantaneous." They did not touch a pole in their first five starts, including a win in a CSI2* Grand Prix at Vilamoura (FRA). In 9 starts in 2016, the duo averaged just 0.78 faults.
The year 2017 brought a quick ascent, as the pair immediately stepped into five-star competition at the Winter Equestrian Festival. They found their best stride by the summer, when they recorded their first CSI5* victory in the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Cascais (POR). Shortly thereafter, they were double-clear for Israel in the team final of the European Championships in Göteborg (SWE), where they finished among the top 10 individually.
They would carry that momentum into 2018. In February, they won the CSI5* Grand Prix at WEF 7—a victory they would repeat the following year. That 2019 win would set the pair off on quite the streak, as they'd win two additional five-star Grand Prix events (both on the LGCT) at Shanghai (CHN) and Berlin (GER). They'd also help Israel qualify a show jumping team for the Olympic Games for the first time in its history with a Nations Cup win at Moscow (RUS). In 2019, they averaged just 3.29 faults and a finish position of 13 in 33 starts, almost exclusively at the five-star level.
Waldman and Lizziemary impressively averaged 4.39 faults at 1.60m in their time together. At the five-star level, their average was 4.21 faults. Most impressively is their average on the LGCT: just 2.48 faults (excluding the Prague Playoffs).
An injury would keep Lizziemary from a 2020 campaign, and in 2021 the mare officially retired. Waldman added another CSI5* Grand Prix victory to her list in 2020 with Queensland E, who is now the mount of Lillie Keenan (USA).
With her trademark "feathered" look, Waldman has always advocated for individuality and inclusiveness in the sport, a mantra Prixview embraces as it looks to bring in new fans to show jumping sport with its free-to-play fantasy games and educational data and statistics. Enter for a chance to have Waldman provide you with feedback, advice, and exercises to work on at home by clicking here.
By the Numbers: Dani G. Waldman and Lizziemary
FEI Starts: 120
Average Faults: 3.68
Average Finish Position: 17
CSI5* Grand Prix Wins: 5
Championships: 3
Average Faults at 1.60m: 4.39
Average Faults at the CSI5* Level: 4.21
Average Faults on the Longines Global Champions Tour: 2.48
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