June 22, 2004 – Palgrave, Ontario – Carly Campbell Cooper was her own toughest competition in the $2,500 Gary Cooper Chev Olds Rising Star class held June 19 at the Summer Classic in Palgrave, ON, finishing first and second.

Campbell Cooper of Elora, ON, posted the first clear round of the class riding her nine-year-old grey Belgian Warmblood mare, Santa Lucia. Three other riders were also able to master the test set by FEI course designer Hector Loyola of Puerto Rico to ensure a jump-off; Cathy Inch of Sudbury, ON, riding Finn M’Cool, Alex Rohling of Cumberland, ON, with Secret Identity and Campbell Cooper aboard her second ride of the day, Croft Temptation.

First back in the jump-off, Campbell Cooper set the pace, putting in another clear round with Santa Lucia in a time of 46.08 seconds. Inch followed and also posted a second clear round but was unable to catch Campbell Cooper’s time while Rohling had a rail down to leave Campbell Cooper in the lead. As the final rider in the ring with Croft Temptation, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Campbell Cooper proved to be her own toughest competition. Making tight turns and galloping to the final fence, Campbell Cooper stopped the timers at 43.96 seconds, more than two seconds faster than the time she had posted with Santa Lucia.

“This was Santa Lucia’s first time jumping at this level, so we were concentrating on having a clear round since there were three horses to follow and we knew we could worry if we needed to about speed with Croft Temptation,” explained Campbell Cooper, 22, of the jump-off strategy devised with her coach, Canadian Olympian Beth Underhill. “Coming to the final fence in the jump-off with Croft Temptation, I knew I could risk it a little. I already had the win with Santa Lucia so if I had the final fence down, it didn’t matter.”

While Santa Lucia is a horse Campbell Cooper purchased in 2003, she has been riding Croft Temptation, her Team Gold Medal partner at the 2003 North American Young Riders’ Championship, since purchasing him as a five-year-old.

“Both the horses jumped really well, Croft Temptation was a little fresher because it was cool and windy,” said Campbell Cooper. “I was really happy with Santa Lucia. She showed that she was comfortable moving up to this level, so that was reassuring.”

Campbell Cooper was presented with her ribbon by her father, Gary Cooper, whose Gary Cooper Chev Olds dealership in Elora, ON, is the presenting sponsor the Rising Star Series. Campbell Cooper now has a firm grip on the lead. In the first $2,500 Rising Star class of the season held during the Caledon National horse show, also in Palgrave, ON, Campbell Cooper emerged victorious with Napier, her nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding, and placed third with Croft Temptation. The Rising Star Series continues throughout the 2004 season with the Rising Star Finale taking place during Toronto’s Royal Horse Show in November where Campbell Cooper is the defending champion.

Campbell Cooper also enjoyed a third place finish in Sunday’s $10,000 Modified Grand Prix riding Napier. Campbell Cooper enjoyed a clear round in the jump-off in a time of 40.24 seconds, but was caught by Erynn Ballard of Hornby, ON, riding Futurist and Roberto Teran of Colombia aboard French Lullaby who tied for first place after both stopped the timers at 39.263 seconds, an extremely rare occurrence in the sport of show jumping.

Campbell Cooper recently completed her third year of honours studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON. In addition to the Team Gold Medal that capped off a successful career competing at the annual North American Young Riders’ Championship, 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. As a potential future member of the Canadian Equestrian Team, Campbell Cooper is also a carded athlete of Sport Canada.