March 1, 2004 – Ocala, Florida – Carly Campbell Cooper celebrated another fantastic week in Ocala, Florida, as the equestrian athlete claimed the $10,000 High Junior/Amateur Classic and was crowned the Low Junior/Amateur Champion on Sunday, February 29.

Competing on the five-week HITS Ocala show circuit, Campbell Cooper of Elora, ON, won and also placed second in the $10,000 High Junior/Amateur Classic.  Only the third competitor into the ring, Campbell Cooper and Napier laid down the first clear round of the day over a course designed by Canada’s own Michel Vaillancourt.  She repeated her faultless performance later in the class with her second entry, Croft Temptation, her team gold medal partner at the 2003 North American Young Riders’ Championship, to qualify two horses for the jump-off.

“Michel had designed quite a big course, it was very technical,” commented Campbell Cooper, 21.  “Seven horses made it through to the jump-off and since I was the first to go with Napier, I wanted to be efficient but clean.  He tends to spend a lot of time in the air, so I have to gallop between jumps to make up for that, but he is great at turning.”

Campbell Cooper was still holding the lead when she entered the ring with her second jump-off contender, Croft Temptation.

“When I went with Croft Temptation, I knew that one other girl had beaten my time with Napier, but she had dropped a rail,” explained Campbell Cooper who is coached by Canadian Olympian, Beth Underhill.  “Beth said to follow the same path as we had done with Napier, but to be faster to the first jump.  We were able to leave a stride out, and that helped catch the time I had set with Napier.  Croft Temptation loves to go fast and is great at jumping on an angle.  He is a super speed horse, but he only beat Napier’s time by less than half a second.”

A third year honours student at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON, Campbell Cooper had written two mid-terms on Tuesday and handed in a paper on Wednesday before flying to Ocala, FL, on Thursday.  On her first day of competition on Friday, February 27, Campbell Cooper finished second in the High Junior/Amateur class riding Napier, a nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding purchased one year ago from Eric van der Vleuten, a two-time World Championship competitor for the Netherlands.  On Saturday, February 28, Campbell Cooper won a High Junior/Amateur class riding Croft Temptation, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Doliart, and also placed third with Napier.

Campbell Cooper’s success did not stop in the High Junior/Amateur division.  With her third mount, Santa Lucia, a nine-year-old grey Belgian Warmblood mare, Campbell Cooper also claimed the Low Junior/Amateur Championship title.  The pair had won Friday’s class and consistent placings throughout the remainder of the weekend earned them the title.  Campbell Cooper described Friday’s win by saying, “After jumping clear, we advanced to an immediate jump-off where we were again clear.  I didn’t expect to win, but our time held up!”

Campbell Cooper had also won the $5,000 Low Junior/Amateur Classic on opening weekend of the HITS Ocala circuit riding Santa Lucia.

Campbell Cooper will continue to divide her time between riding and her studies, commuting between university and Florida for the remaining two weeks of the HITS Ocala circuit.

Campbell Cooper has enjoyed a successful career as a young rider, competing at the last four consecutive North American Young Riders’ Championships.  In 2000, riding as a member of the Ontario Junior Team, she claimed both individual and team gold medals riding Rex Get Busy.  Riding as a member of the Ontario Team in the Championship division in 2001, she won an individual bronze medal in addition to her team silver medal, and followed it up with yet another team silver and a sixth place individually in 2002.  In 2003, the Ontario Team scored a major victory by claiming the gold medal, aided by Campbell Cooper’s performance with Croft Temptation.

Campbell Cooper wrapped up the 2003 season by being named the overall winner of the Jump Canada National Talent Squad Series as well as topping the Ontario Rising Star Series, for which she was presented with a brand new truck courtesy of Gary Cooper Chev Olds of Elora, ON.  As a potential future member of the Canadian Equestrian Team, Campbell Cooper is also a carded athlete of Sport Canada.

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PHOTOGRAPH
“Carly Campbell Cooper and Croft Temptation scored victory in the $10,000 High Junior/Amateur Classic at HITS Ocala III.”
Photo Credit – Cealy Tetley