Third time a Paris Charm for Currie Cooper

Point Clear, Alabama’s Currie Cooper continued her successful journey with Paris Charm in the pony ring at the Winter Equestrian Festival [WEF] last weekend taking home Champion in the Medium Pony Hunter. This on the back of their debut at the USEF Pony Finals ending in Overall Champion last year, which only happened as her trainer Richard Cunkle decided to give Paris Charm a third look.

Richard and his friend Kim Stewart first turned down the chance to buy Paris Charm several years ago. “She was difficult to get on and off,” Richard recalled, “so we passed on her.” 

From there Paris Charm went to Jimmy and Danielle Torano, with their son JJ showing the mare successfully indoors, after which the couple approached Richard again. “JJ was outgrowing her but I was like no thank you, because I remembered the way she was,” said Richard.

But at Devon Richard was looking for a pony for Currie, 12, when Paris Charm’s name came up for the third time, Richard decided to give the pony a shot. Currie and the 15-year old mare clicked after a quick ride in a schooling ring. She was different from Currie’s previous rides. “She was just nicer, fancier, and she jumped better and smoother,” she said. “And she was quiet.” Before she knew it, Currie was riding Paris Charm for the second time, in the Pony Finals where the pair were catapulted from a new partnership to a Champion pairing.

The difference between Paris Charm’s first impression on Richard and the way she is today was a result of skilled training. “Danielle [Torano] did an amazing job with her,” said Richard. “No one was going to do what Danielle did.” 

Currie’s experience showing took a step up last year. She and her younger sister, Annie, started working with Richard some two and a half years ago at which point Currie had been riding one of his ponies – Snowbound – and training locally with Mikhal Newberry, Green Branch Farms while showing on a small scale. “She has accomplished more than what she probably should have in a short amount of time,” said Richard.

Now competing at WEF, she has already notched up Medium Pony Champion with another of her rides By4Now before adding champion with Paris Charm, owned by JJ Torano, and Reserve for By4Now last weekend.

Richard puts much of her success down to commitment. “She rides at least six ponies a day,” he said, from their barn in Mallet Hill. “She’s a very hard worker. She listens, she tries and she has a huge passion for the animal.”

If Currie didn’t have other commitments she would spend even more time in the saddle. It’s fun but also tiring, it keeps me going,” she said. “I would ride more if I didn’t have school.”