The Sussex-based rider, who is the daughter of horse race trainer Josh Gifford, capped a memorable weekend for Britain at Le Grand Parquet by landing her first European individual title.
 

With Cook, William Fox-Pitt, Nicola Wilson and Oliver Townend securing an eighth successive European team gold, there was plenty to celebrate for Britain's sizeable contingent of travelling support.
 

Cook, a double bronze medalist at last year's Olympic Games, kept her cool in sweltering temperatures to edge fellow British rider Piggy French and Some Day Soon into second place.
 

It proved a remarkable performance by French, who was only called up to challenge for individual honours when Mary King's horse Imperial Cavalier withdrew injured earlier this month.
 

Cook, a 39-year-old mother of two, triumphed by 0.6 points, while Germany's Michael Jung took bronze and Fox-Pitt had to be content with fourth.
 

She said: "This is incredibly special.
 

"I didn't really expect it here, but to be European champion is massive.
 

"When you have got a talented horse like him, it makes my job so much easier.

"He is fantastic in all three phases."
 

French piled the pressure on Cook by recording one of only two clear rounds among a 40-strong field that contested the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships showjumping finale.
 

Although Cook's overnight lead after cross-country on Saturday meant she could afford to have showjumping faults and still win, it developed into a nerve-tingling conclusion.
 

She said: "It's slapped wrists for me with the time faults.
 

"I was just thinking about jumping the fences, and I got a touch of the go-slows."
 

French though, was elated to take a medal back home to Leicestershire after more than holding her own in the company of Europe's team eventers.
 

She said: "I am so shocked.

"A silver medal - who would have thought it?
 

"I am so proud of the horse.

"He went better than I could ever have imagined, and I can't tell you what this means.

"If someone had said to me beforehand that I was going to get a silver medal, I would have thought them stupid.

"It really hasn't sunk in.

"I didn't want to let myself or the horse down, but having a silver medal is a very bizarre feeling."

The only disappointment for Britain was reigning Blenheim and Burghley champion Townend's horse Flint Curtis being eliminated at the final inspection yesterday morning, which meant they took no part in the showjumping.
 

But Townend still has a major prize to chase next month when he returns to France for the HSBC Classics finale in Pau.
He is current series leader in a race for the £90,000 top prize.

Britain won the team event by a huge margin of 92.70 points - one of the most emphatic triumphs in eventing history - with Italy second and Belgium third.

Jung's bronze medal apart, there was only despair for pre-competition favourites Germany, whose other star riders all crashed out during a punishing cross-country test.
 

Strongly-fancied host nation France also never recovered from a miserable cross-country experience that included reigning European individual champion Nicolas Touzaint suffering elimination.


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September 2009: Double gold for Britain's eventers in European Championships