Rob Palm and Koko Story
Rob Palm started the day in second place of the Lowe Farms CIC3* at Tonimbuk Horse Trials and he also finished it in second place, but not on the same horse
The 11 year old chestnut thoroughbred Koko Story, that finished sixth in the CCI4* at Adelaide in November started the weekend in seventh place after the dressage and then jumped one of only three clear rounds in the indoor arena on Saturday evening to move into fourth place but it was Rob’s catch ride on Nina Clarke’s LP Boudin that was in second place heading into the cross country.
Koko Story was the trailblazer for the class and seemed to relish the twisty track that runs through the bush, picking up 16.8 time penalties, the second fastest time of the day (no-one ever seems to makes the time at Tonimbuk on the 3* course)
Rob returned soon after for his ride on LP Boudin but a run-out at the first corner at Fence 6 put them out of contention. They re-presented and jumped it but jumped not between the flags, which were situated on the apex of the jump (see photo of Megan Jones below) but the full width of the opposite corner, including decorative plants! Now, that’s scopey …..
“We need to address the first run-out” Rob told owner Nina later, who is recovering from a broken pelvis from a fall from another horse “But I couldn’t be unhappy with a horse that is able to jump that!”
Rob may have walked home on LP Boudin but his ride on Koko Story put them into second place, finishing on a score of 54.20. He also took home second place on a very special young horse, Halcyons Total Joy, in the EvA95C
Rob Palm
Megan and Kirby Park Impress
The winning 3* rider was Megan Jones on Kirby Park Impress and, as Megan told us in an earlier interview about her plans for 2018, the aim here was to go steadily as the first CIC event on the ‘programme’ aiming for success at Sydney International Horse Trials. The ride may have been steady with Megan picking up 21.6 time penalties but she still maintained first place to finish on 51.10, having led from the start
Her husband James Deacon was riding Del Sequioa in the EvA105, finishing in 14th place (well done James!) and I caught up with Megan as she was seeing him off on cross country resulting in one of the most fun winner’s interviews I’ve had for ages …..
Tania Harding on board the leggy Jirrima Yorkshire were the speediest on course, coming home with 16 time penalties for third place (60.70) while, at the other end of the spectrum, the little Chocoholic ridden by Murray Lamperd finished in fourth place (61.10), where he started after the dressage
Chocoholic may be small but he can cover the ground both in the arena and on cross country
Watch Rob Palm and Megan Jones on course below
