Interview: Claire Zambuni & Helen Barbour

Interview with Helen Barbour & Claire Zambuni

Claire and Helen provided me with an insight on what to wear when taking part in these sports.

Are you part of any clubs? 

Claire - Yes, the Covert girls. There is about 1500 on the database. People are signing up all of the time after the article on the Financial Times. They aren’t active, but more social. A lot come and join us shooting once they’ve met us and get involved. My first Covert girl shoot in Yorkshire sold out in 24 hrs. 

How many shoots per year?

Claire - Quite a lot, most are mixed nowadays either clays or game. I’ve four private companies offering

hospitality to their Women clients and tailored it to their needs.

Game or Clay? 

Helen - I prefer Game, clay is very boring and quite tense. I don’t like standing there and saying, “Pull.” I hated Grouse, driven game is what I enjoy. I really enjoy the social element and seeing people I know. It’s a nice day out. Whereas walked up grouse shooting isn’t my idea of fun.

Claire - I love Grouse shooting, stalking and extreme hunting. I’m going to the lsle of Mull in January and have rented a cottage in the middle of nowhere were we have to drag our own carcusses - my idea of heaven. I love all sorts of hunting.

What do you wear when you go shooting? 

Helen - Barbour. I wear a Belford jacket and Dubarry boots. But Barbour are bringing out a whole range of Barbour shooting range at the Game Fair next year. The mans featherweight jacket has been taken and styled so it has all the features of the jacket but more lightweight and fitting of the female form. A limited colelction will be brought out but will be enough for women to style. We’ve brought out a mens shooting range with Lord James Percy and developed a recent footwear. 

Claire - Leather breeks, a Barbour jacket, a bespoke shooting trousers and a fox fur hat. I like my Links Jacket which I wear for stalking. It’s fleece lined and waterproof but with a waist. Stalking is all about disguising yourself therefore fabric plays a huge part in the function. Scandanavian companies are natural hunters therefore they do fabulous stalking clothes.

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