Palmer's Super Saturday

A high-achieving mare, a venue specialist and a popular Pony Club district commissioner are in the ribbons

- ELLIE HUGHES

ALEXA PALMER and her exciting eight-year-old home-produced mare, Global Super Nova, continued their smooth progression through the ranks when they clinched the intermediate novice (IN) by a 3.2-penalty margin.

The Numero Uno mare, whom Alexa bought from Rosie Fry as a four-year-old, has so far in her short career racked up four wins plus a top-three finish in the British Eventing six-year-old championship at Osberton.

“She’s so genuine and always wants to do her best,” said Alexa, who was forced on to the sidelines for six months when she suffered a head injury as a result of a rotational fall from another horse soon after teaming up with Nova.

“I did a lot of work with my horses from the ground while I was recovering and I think this sowed the seed for my partnership with Nova,” continued Alexa.

“She was very cheeky initially and I was afraid that this would impact on her trainability, but the time I spent with her on the ground in long lines – hacking out, doing polework and improving our communication – turned out to be very well spent.”

Alexa, who graduated from Exeter University with a business and economics degree last summer, now rides and coaches full-time from her base at her family’s Greenhays Stud in Dorset.

“I have four horses of my own to ride and produce, but would now like to attract some owners and expand on my teaching,” she said.

Imogen Cole-Holland and Reubens Beltaine returned to their happy hunting ground at Bovington to score a BE90 win. The pair also claimed victory here six months ago in the under-18 BE90open.