Allana Clutterbuck rose to the occasion to clinch the win in the Redpost Equestrian Senior Foxhunter Championship on day two at Horse of the Year Show. Once dubbed by Horse and Hound as an up-and-coming talent, the 22-year-old rider from Essex proved them right tonight under the spotlight of the Andrews Bowen International Arena.
There were just four riders through to the jump off and Allana was last to go. The 10-year-old bay gelding Dirk IV covered the ground with great prominence and was deceivingly quick. The pair came over the finish in a time of 36.40 seconds – nearly one second faster than Hollie Pearce, who had to settle for second place riding James O Hara H.
The dedicated young rider has been competing at Horse of the Year Show every year since she was 12 years old, and 10 years later she not only won her first HOYS title but won one of the most highly coveted titles in national showjumping.
Speaking of her win, Allana said: “I hadn’t watched any of the others go, so I just went on what we had discussed before I went in the ring and it seemed to pay off. I knew I had to be fast, but to be a second quicker is just unbelievable. I kept riding to the last and I saw the stride and went for it. He is such a good horse.”
Allana’s acclaimed showjumping hero, John Whittaker, won this class back in 1981, and tonight she adds her name to the A-class roll of honour.
“I can’t describe the feeling. I have been second so many times, but this feeling to win here at HOYS is like no other. It’s just amazing. I have never ridden a horse like him; he waits, and he goes and just does whatever I ask of him. I got the ride of Dirk IV through my owner Michael Bates. I am eternally grateful to him for letting me ride him. I genuinely think he can go all the way. He has so much jump and he is so careful, he has everything,” adds Allana. Audio interview with Allana: https://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access2/index.php?d=1477&b=32808
