After two days of exciting competition, a new champion was crowned when Danielle Cooper rode her mount Amalfi to the Grand Championship at the 2009 USEF Junior Hunter Championship-East Coast on Wednesday afternoon at HITS-on-the-Hudson, in Saugerties, NY

Coming out of the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 Division, Cooper and her mount outlasted last year’s winning rider, Jennifer Waxman, to earn the crown.

“Danielle has been riding with me since September,” said trainer Frank Madden. “She has been a hard-working, talented kid from day one. She forms a great pair with her horse. It’s a brave horse, and he is a beautiful mover.”

Cooper, who will be an advanced sophomore at NYU this fall, had praise for Madden as well as her other trainer Mike Zukerman after her triumph. “I have never won anything like this before,” said Cooper. “This year I went to school at NYU Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and then I would shoot home to Long Island and train with Frank. I would also like to thank Mike Zukerman who helped me prepare for this. I've trained with him for quite some time and he deserves a lot of credit. It’s the biggest win of my life!”

Waxman, who piloted Red Panda to last year’s Grand Championship, was named this year’s Overall Reserve Champion riding Glass Castle. When the Finals were complete, Waxman would take home the War Dress Memorial Trophy awarded to the top-finishing mare.

Also succeeding at the 2009 USEF Junior Hunter Championship-East Coast was Hasbrouck Donovan. Donovan, who is the daughter of Florida Gators Basketball Coach Billy Donovan, rode Confidential to the Championship in the Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under and piloted Quality Time to the Championship in the Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under.

Donovan’s success capped off a great turnout for the exhibitors from Don Stewart Stables in Ocala, FL. Her stablemate, Taylor Ann Adams, rode Lifeline to the reserve championship in the Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under to conclude a tremendous couple of days. Just a day prior, Adams won the prestigious United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Hunterdon Cup when she outlasted a field of nearly 70 equitation riders.

"Hasbrouck is a quiet girl who doesn’t say too much, but when she gets on a horse, watch out,” said trainer Don Stewart. “She is a fierce competitor who forms great partnerships with all of her horses. She has a tremendous future ahead of her.”

“The grand prix ring was a fun place to ride because it’s so big,” said Donovan. “I want to thank Don for all of the great training that we get at his barn. He is so funny and makes it fun to ride every time we go out there.”

“It’s a team effort,” said Stewart. “Taylor Ann and Hasbrouck are the best! But I also have the best staff at my barn.”

In other action, Kelly Tropin rode Libertas to the championship in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 under the guidance of trainer Peter Lutz. “I have been training her for six years and she is very dedicated and hard working,” said Lutz. “I am so proud of Kelly, she really deserves this!”

Tropin, who will attend Dartmouth in the fall, outlasted her barnmate Maggie Boylan and Poetic to take the crown. Poetic, who held the lead in the division going into Wednesday’s second round, was named the Reserve Champion. “Maggie is a beautiful rider,” said Lutz. “Both of the girls were on top of their game this week.”

Show jumping action continues this week in Saugerties with HITS-on-the-Hudson VI and features the $10,000 USHJA/Chronicle of the Horse International Hunter Derby, $5,000 Pony Commotion and the big summer finale, the $125,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix to close out the series on Sunday, August 2.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com.