Clare Louise Drury is back for her third year at the Horse & Hound Festival of Eventing and has gone straight into the lead of the Spillers 80cm class.
Clare goes into the cross-country tomorrow (26 May) on a dressage score of 23.5 with her nine-year-old 17hh sports horse Kingsleypark Panther.
“I’ve been to the event for three years but this is the second time with Panther. Last year we didn’t have the greatest dressage score and nerves got the better of me in the showjumping but I’ve had a year to get to know him better,” Clare, who has owned Panther for a year and a half, told H&H.
“He was a good boy today and did a nice calm test. On a good day, he’s very good and correct – if he behaves himself, sometimes he likes to make his own moves up!”
Clare said she is feeling confident ahead of cross-country, the element Panther “loves”.
“I think he’ll be really keen and I’ll hang on,” laughs Clare. “The course is looking really good.”
“I’m not looking forward to the showjumping that’s where the nerves kick in but as long as I leave him to it. He’s my best-friend. I go out a lot on my own and he’s really easy to take to places.
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Clare, who is fence judging the Ariat 90cm and the 100cm classes, said the H&H Festival of Eventing feels like a “girls’ weekend with horses”.
“I love the event and I love Keysoe. It’s got great facilities, and it’s always making improvements.”
Clare has a four and a half penalty lead ahead of second place rider Alex McNamara and Termon Captain who have a score of 28, while Serena Allery sits in third place on a score of 28.5.
Don’t miss the full report from the H&H Festival of Eventing in Horse & Hound magazine — on sale Thursday, 6 June
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
