Fuel Incredible: Kevin Drury’s pets keep him steady through the ups and downs of sport
Ski cross is a sport of literal ups and downs, quick turns, leaps of faith, and the potential for big crashes. No one knows that better than two-time Team Canada Olympian, Kevin Drury.
And when you’re dealing with the highs and lows of sport, you have to rely on your support system—human, canine, feline, and otherwise.
Drury and his wife, MK, first made a pet addition to their family in 2017 when they got their cat, Moose, to keep MK company while Drury was away training and racing. It didn’t take long for Drury to become a certified cat person.
“We got Moose…and now I love cats,” Drury said with a chuckle.
The 2019-20 season was a career highlight for Drury, as he notched seven FIS World Cup podiums including four victories, to take the overall Crystal Globe for ski cross.
But less than a week into the next season, he broke his leg in a race. Those are the ups and downs.
“It took a really long time to heal, longer than it should have,” said Drury. “I was home for the whole season, and I’d always wanted a dog.”
Enter Khyber, their rescue dog, originally hailing from Mississippi. Khyber, a mix of foxhound and staff terrier, became an important part of Drury’s recovery process, injecting a bit of puppy joy into each day, providing lots of cuddles, and, as Drury progressed, a good reason to get out and do some gentle movement.
Since joining the family, Khyber has supported Drury through a few more surgeries and procedures. Heading into the 2024-25 season, Drury was returning from shoulder surgery, as well as some procedures on his left knee. He’d been skiing in pain long enough that he thought retirement could be in the cards.
“I felt like I was slowly on the decline, and I’m like, ‘Man, I’m old! Do I just call it?’” Drury recounted.
The answer coming out of last season turned out to be yes, he does still have it. Drury skied to the podium in his very first race back. He went on to earn four more podiums on the World Cup circuit, finishing seventh overall at the end of the season.
This past off-season was his first in a long time not spent rehabbing an injury.
“It’s been amazing. I’m probably the fittest I’ve been in eight years,” said Drury. “But it’s ski cross, so you never know, anything can happen.”
This summer’s training regimen has included runs with the dogs. That’s right, dogs plural. Drury and MK added black labrador, Rudy, to the family this summer.
Not to be forgotten, Moose also provided excitement over the summer, bringing the odd “gift” home for the rest of the family—including a chipmunk and a bird, both very much still alive!
“You can imagine when a hunting dog all of a sudden has a chipmunk running around the house,” said Drury. “It was chaos.”
As he chases his dream of making a third Olympic team, Drury knows that no matter what, his crew at home are there for him.
“When I’m racing and I’m gone and I’m dealing with all the highs and lows of sport, I have the thought of my wife at home, and also the pets—they’re my kids,” said Drury.
“It lets you take the blows much easier when you can come home after a tough little stretch and there’s two dogs and a cat that just have unconditional love for you.”
It’s because of these special bonds, and the therapeutic benefits that pets bring to all Canadians, that Nulo is collaborating with Team Canada to support athletes and the four-legged companions who provide invaluable support to them on the road to Milano Cortina 2026 and LA 2028. To learn more about this incredible partnership, visit this link.
