Sergio Campos and Shakira Do Jacare win NHJL Final Grand Prix © Flashpoint Photography

CONYERS, GA (November 22, 2006) — Capturing his 19th career Grand Prix win, Sergio Campos of Longwood, FL, thrillingly secured the $40,000 National Hunter Jumper League Final Grand Prix sponsored by Bayer-Legend on November 19, wrapping up the Atlanta Fall Classic held at the Centennial Horse Park in Conyers, GA.

The Brazilian-born Campos navigated his 9-year-old homebred mare Shakira do Jacare through the 13-obstacle course designed by Allen Rheinheimer. “The first round was very straightforward,” said Campos, who earlier in the series took first place in the Welcome Stake, “It was an honest ride all around—no tricks—and gave you a chance to ride a clean round. But the jump off was very competitive, very fast.” The course was well tailored for his brilliant mare, whose blistering gallop to the last line wowed the audience and resulted in a final time of 37.06 seconds. “She’s a handy horse,” Campos said of his winning partner. “She can make those tight turns.”

Doubling his pleasure, Campos also placed third (behind second place finisher Christian Curry on Cenzo) with his up-and-coming Zangersheide gelding Cognac do Jacare. Campos noted that he had been conservative with the 8-year-old throughout the two-week competition. “He’s still young, and we’ve been bringing him along for the last six months. I don’t like to do too many classes with him yet.” The strategy paid off as Cognac, co-owned by international champion Rodrigo Pessoa, vanquished the other 17 entries with two clean rounds and a final jump-off time of 43.04 seconds.

Melissa Rudershausen and Prins © Flashpoint Photography

Completing the Longwood triple threat was Campos’ student Melissa Ruderhausen, 17, who garnered fourth place aboard Prins, her 14-year-old Belgian warmblood. “Everything went easy,” noted Ruderhausen. “My horse was really responding to me today, and that makes a big difference.” A pleased trainer, Campos called his student “Amazing! That girl is going to have a great future. We’re going to see her on the American team for international classes.” A freshman at Rollins College in Orlando, FL, Ruderhausen is now looking forward to taking Prins and her other mount, Cowboy, a 13 year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding previously owned by Rodrigo Pessoa, to the winter circuit in Ocala.

Campos’ Longwood Equestrian Center, located outside of Orlando, has more than 50 horses in training, including 20 horses in the United States and 30 more in a breeding program in the athlete’s native Brazil. He will next compete at the National Horse Show in Wellington, FL, beginning Nov. 29, taking a promising Onno Z into the 5 year-old Young Jumper Championships for owner Rae Kennedy of Orlando, FL, as well as two competitive mounts for the 6-year old Young Jumpers Championships: Moneky du Parc owned by Dianna Rodolpho of Longwood, FL, and Mill Creek Sandhya owned by sponsors Phil Henning and Mill Creek Stables of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Also joining him in Palm Beach will be Shakira do Jacare and Cognac do Jacare for more exciting grand prix action and the next step towards Campos’s goal of the upcoming Pan Am Games in Brazil.

For more information or results on the Fall Classics visit www.ClassicCompany.com or call the show office at (843) 768-5503.