Palm counts Lark's Superhorse win her most exciting victory ever, and the accomplishment was made all the more satisfying because Lark was still so young.
Harris judged the AQHA World Championship Show in 1986, so Lark was ineligible to compete. But when 1987 rolled around, she faced a tough decision: Should Lark shoot for an unprecedented second Superhorse title? The stallion was still performing well, and he was popular: His breeding schedule was full. Yet Harris knew that if her star failed in his bid to repeat his Superhorse title, it would not only be disappointing but might damage his reputation.
In the end, Harris managed to overcome her fears. And Lark rewarded her faith in him by topping his previous point total and becoming the only horse up to that time to win the Superhorse title twice.
"It was one of the most emotional experiences of my life," says Palm. "I knew that Carol would retire Lark from showing after the World, and when I rode forward to accept the award, I was just bawling. Carol had given me six years with this horse-the horse of a lifetime. I was overcome with emotion."
On the spur of the moment, Palm slipped the bridle off Lark and rode in bridleless to accept Lark's second Superhorse title to a standing ovation. Lark was then retired from competition but continued entertaining audiences at exhibitions and was later named the AQHA Ambassador to the United States Equestrian Team.
This article originally appeared in the July 1996 issue of EQUUS magazine.
