Toronto, Ontario – In recognition of its gold medal victory at the 2003 North American Young Riders’ Championship, the Ontario Show Jumping Team consisting of Carly Campbell Cooper of Elora, ON, Chris Sorensen of Caledon East, ON, Elliot Stone of Midland, ON, and Keean White of Cambridge, ON, was one of three finalists for the Ontario Team of the Year Award at the 37th Ontario Sports Awards held April 2, 2004.

Nominated by the Ontario Equestrian Federation on behalf of the Ontario Hunter Jumper Association, the Ontario Young Riders’ Show Jumping Team was one of three teams up for the award against the Ottawa Titans Water Polo Team and the eventual winners, the Carleton Ravens Men’s Basketball Team. The 37th Ontario Sports Awards ceremony took place at the Atlantis Pavilions at Ontario Place in Toronto, ON.

In August at the 2003 North American Young Riders’ Championship in Bromont, QC, the Ontario Show Jumping Team was in fourth position following the opening round. In the second round, a clear round from Stone, four faults from Campbell-Cooper and a faultless performance from anchor rider White moved the Ontario team to the top of the standings and onto the medal podium. Ontario finished with a total score of 24 faults to defeat the defending champions, USA Zone 2, who had a final total of 28 faults. USA Zone 7 was awarded the bronze medal. Ontario had won the silver medal in both 2001 and 2002.

“It was one of the biggest come-from-behind victories I have seen at the North American Young Riders’ Championship,” noted White, a five-time veteran. “Elliott had the clear round to start us off right in the second round and Carly really came through for us with a four fault effort. As the anchor rider, I needed to be clear to win the gold. If I had four faults, we would have had a jump-off.”

Representing the Ontario Young Riders’ Show Jumping Team at the 37th Ontario Sports Awards ceremony were Campbell Cooper and Sorensen as well as Barbara Mitchell, President of the Ontario Hunter Jumper Association. Unfortunately, both Stone and White were out of the country and unable to attend.

“Our sport tends to be quite focused on the horse community, so it was nice to be recognized outside of our normal show jumping world,” noted Campbell Cooper, a third year student at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON. “This awards dinner did a great job of pulling us together as Ontario athletes, and the Sport Alliance really made us feel like a sports community. We are usually so far segregated from the rest of the world! It was also nice to be recognized for winning a North American event as some of the other nominees had success at the national level only.”

In addition to the recognition of the efforts of the Ontario Young Riders’ Show Jumping Team, Jill Henselwood of Oxford Mills, ON, was also nominated for the Ontario Female Coach of the Year Award along with Natascha Wesch of the Ontario Rugby Union and winner Tobie Gorman who was nominated by Gymnastics Ontario.

An independent selection committee consisting of Ontario news and sports media, volunteers and sport administrators selects the finalists for the 37th Ontario Sports Awards. Nominations are submitted by Ontario Provincial Sport Organizations.

The Ontario Sport Awards were introduced 37 years ago to give Provincial Sport Organizations the opportunity to acknowledge the top athletes and coaches within their sport. The Ontario Sports Award evening is organized by the Sport Alliance of Ontario in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Recreation. For more information on the 37th annual Ontario Sport Awards, please visit the sportalliance web site at www.sportalliance.com/new/awards.html

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