Legendary rider Anneli Drummond-Hay is still competing in equestrian events – and still competitive – at the age of 82.
The former top eventer and showjumper, who won both Badminton and the first Burghley as well as the Hickstead Derby and a host of other top showjumping classes, was caught on camera at Burlington Stables, in Midrand, South Africa, on Sunday (14 April).
The stables’ Anne-Marie Esslinger told H&HAnneli is “quite amazing”.
“She competes in the 1m and 1.10m classes and she’s as competitive as ever,” she said.
“She jokes that the total age of herself and her horse Apollo is 100 years.”
The stables runs monthly showjumping shows, as well as a national event towards the end of each year, with classes from 90cm to 1.40m.
“Anneli supports quite a few of the shows,” Ms Esslinger said. “She brought this horse back from Europe with her and she likes to get good tickets – she always gives it a go in the jump-off.”
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“I’m 61 and still riding,” Ms Esslinger added. “Ijump the bigger classes and a lot of the younger riders say they can’t believe I’m still doing it, and I say I won’t be when I’m her age!
“She enjoys it, and her horse is as happy as Larry.”
Anneli is most famous for her partnership with Merely-A-Monarch, with whom she took both Badminton and Burghley. The combination then switched to showjumping, winning grands prix across the world, jumping on Nations Cups teams and winning the Rome, Geneva and Berlin derbies as well as Hickstead.
She also won European Championships gold and was shortlisted for the 1964 Olympics.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
