Claire McLeod
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Claire Louise McLeod (often simply called Claire) is a character in the Australian TV show McLeod's Daughters. She is played by Lisa Chappell. Claire is a very good horserider. She is the daughter of Jack and Prudence McLeod. Her mother died when she was toddler in child birth while giving birth to Claire's baby brother, Adam John McLeod. He was stillborn.
He father later married a city girl named Ruth Silverman and together they had a daughter named Tess. Unable to settle into life on the farm, Ruth eventually left Jack, taking Tess with her. Claire suffered greatly over the loss of her sister.
She has been helping her father run Drovers Run since she was young and worked on Drovers fulltime at age fifteen after leaving school. Her goal in life is to start a breeding program.
Although Claire is a hard and determined worker, she is also vulnerable and lonely and striving to have the life and family she missed out on when she was a child.
Alex Ryan is Claire's best mate; they have known each other for years ever since they were children and competed against each other in a sports event which Alex won. Alex has always been there for Claire in good times and bad.
Harry Ryan, Alex's father and an old friend of Jack's is keen to have Drovers for himself and even has his eye on Claire as a potential wife for his other son, Nick.
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[edit] Season one
After her father died, Claire inherits Drovers Run. Her long-lost sister , Tess arrives on the doorstep of Drovers unannounced from the big city. Claire, at first finding Tess unwelcome, does not know what to do with her. As Claire slowly gets to know Tess, however, they grow more and more like sisters. Claire eventually decides to give Tess a job on the farm.
Claire also meets Peter Johnson, a representative for a horse training and breeding company called Australian Bloodlines at a horse breeding seminar. At first they don't like each other, but then slowly develop a respect for each other and Peter offers Claire a job as a Horse Trainer.
[edit] Season two
Claire falls in love with Peter Johnson. She falls head over heels for him, but their romance falls apart when she learns that he is married, with two daughters, Alana and Natalie. She resigns from Australian Bloodlines, and starts her own horse training business with Alex. Peter is jealous and attempts to ruin their business by spreading rumours about Alex about crippling a local and by failing to pass on Claire's resignation letter to Australian Bloodlines. As a result Australian Bloodlines, thinking she has defaulted on her contract sues Claire and takes her to court to take possession of Drovers Run. After a while she realizes that she is pregnant. Peter returns to regain Claire's love. He tells her he will stop Australian Bloodlines taking Drovers on the condition that she marries him. Claire rejects his offer and challenges him in the cross country race. Peter later collides with Claire during the race. An ambulance is called and Tess tells the paramedics that Claire is pregnant. Although the child is Peter's, Claire initially does not want Peter to be involved in the baby's life. As a result, Alex lies and says he is the father and Tess reclaims Claire's resignation letter from Peter.
[edit] Season three
This season marks the many changes that Claire will face in her life.
She is fully recovered from her accident. The baby is fine, and the two go home. She and Alex keep up the charade that Alex is the father of her baby until the truth comes out that Peter is the father. Claire also tries to cope with balancing Drovers and motherhood, as well her fear she may suffer her mother's fate of dying in childbirth. But finally finds the strength to face her challenges in life and also come to realise the need for stability in her baby's life.
While visiting the horse paddocks, Claire goes into labour. She is later found by Alex and Tess who help deliver the baby. As the Min Min Lights appear in the sky, Her baby daughter, called BOM for "baby of McLeod", is born.
The baby is later named Charlotte Prudence McLeod. Charlotte is Tess' middle name and Prudence is Claire's mother.
Peter returns and eventually signs the birth certificate after being angry that Claire advised him that he was Charlotte's father after she was born. Alex becomes Charlotte's godfather.
Claire then meets and catches the eye of Vince Lavise, a farmer originally from the city. He falls for Claire and encourages her to run for spokesperson position on the Gungellan Farmer's Council. Alex is becomes jealous and acts protective towards Claire. Claire, confused by Alex's behaviour and jealousy decides to go out with Vince when he asked her out just to spite Alex, even though she's not interested in Vince.
Claire successfully becomes a spokesperson on the Gungellan Farmer's Council. Claire's role as spokesperson for the local farmers' association requires her to visit Melbourne and meet with their MLA, Charles Bateman, who is attending a national forum with other MPs. Alex decides to go with Claire and help look after Charlotte.
While in Melbourne, Alex and Claire begin to realise how much they mean to each other and the love between them grows. They finally say they love each other. Each seems to be the love of the other's life.
[edit] Season Four
Claire's life has taken a dramatic change since last season. She is finally happy and has the life and family she has always wanted: She has a successful horse training business on Drovers Run, She and Alex are deeply in love, she has become a mother to a beloved baby daughter named Charlotte, she has a deep sisterly bond with Tess and is even reunited with an old childhood friend, Stevie Hall who she hires to work on Drovers.
All seems to be looking up for Claire until an accident happens. Claire and Tess are driving in their car when it slips because of a brumby and a hump in the street. The car almost crashes on the edge of a cliff. Tess escapes with baby Charlotte, but Claire is stuck and cannot get out in time. The car falls down with Claire in it. Tess gets help and Alex hurries down the cliff to check Claire, but it is too late. Claire is dead. Alex holds Claire in his arms.
Everyone is devastated, especially Alex, who had been on the verge of asking her to marry him, even placing the engagement ring in Claire's bedroom to surprise her.
Claire appears to Tess as a ghost to help her move on with her life. A horse and cart was brought, with Claire's coffin on it. Alex nearly missed her funeral, because he was hunting for the brumby which he blamed for the accident. After a talk with Stevie he saw the brumby with its family. He then realised where he should be and broke down mourning for Claire. During Claire's funeral, Tess is finally able to let go of Claire and dedicate herself to running Drovers and raising Charlotte. Claire's spirit watches her funeral from afar, then walks away and her spirit crosses over.
Alex said his final goodbye, by saying he loves her. He places the ring on her Akubra and truly expresses who Claire is: 'Claire McLeod, born in the saddle, always argued the toss... and always always had the last word'.
Note: The last appearance of Claire McLeod (Lisa Chappell) was screened during Season Three in Australia and New Zealand.
