Zara Phillips Current Events 4: June 2008-December 2013


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Sadly, there was some negative comments from the readers, such as:
"Meanwhile Britain burns ! Ah, the life of Riley"
or: "The rioters should be sent on a voyage on a sail training ship..."
 
No surprise to be honest, it's not sad, it's expected.
Zara looks lovely and Ewan, yumyum. :)
 
I love some of the response's....is it Zara's fault that people are rioting...doing something positive unlike the rioters.

Face it folks...some people are like crabs in a barrel....they will never be happy.
 
Transferred from other thread:

Hello HRH Hermione, Yes, Zara is competing on her horse High Kingdom. This bay gelding is one of two horses she has who she feels are her best hope of gaining her a place on the GB Olympic squad next year. [Her other 'good horse' is Lord Lauries.]

Zara's superlative mount in recent years has been Toytown, but he has been prone to injury in the past [which was why Zara was forced to miss the Olympics in 2008 and 2004 - had Toytown been fit, I believe that there would have been a very good chance that Zara could have brought home an Olympic medal on both occasions, perhaps even gold - she was, after all, World Champion in 2006]. Toytown was officially retired after the Gatcombe Park Trials at the start of this month].

I am sure that most members of TRF know this, but Eventing consists of 3 disciplines: Dressage, Cross Country and Show Jumping. It is also known as a 'Three Day Event' because traditionally, Dressage took place on the first day, Cross Country on the following day and then Show Jumping on the final day. However, because of the ever-increasing number of entries, the '3 day event' is really a '4 day event' at some Trials. Incidentally, the term '3 day event' is never used by the horsey crowd - they refer to it as 'Trials'. The most famous 'Trials' is probably Badminton [held at the home of the Dukes of Beaufort (royal bastards originally!!]. The Royal Family used to turn out in full force for Badminton [and not because of the fact that the Princess Royal used to compete there] but because the previous Duke, known as 'Master' (but only to his close aquaintances!!!) was a close friend of the Queen and the Queen Mother]

Burley is therefore likely to be a real 'family affair' this year: Mark Philips has designed the course, Zara is competing and the Princess Royal is due to present the prizes on the Sunday. It promises to be a very jolly occasion; I'd better go and sort out my wardrobe, so that I do not let the side down!! I will of course take my trusty camera with me.

Hope this helps,

Alex

Transferred from other thread:

Fantastic, thank you for the information! I knew Zara has retired Toytown and was having a hard time finding another horse of his caliber. It'll be interesting to see how she does at this event, because it'll give an indication of whether or not she'll have a horse for the Olympics.

Have a lovely time, and please do share pictures if you're comfortable doing so.

Thank you again!


HRH Hermione, I have done a bit of cut-and-pasting from the 'Princess Royal' Thread, as I fear that I will be going futher and further off-topic.


Zara has from memory been eventing High Kingdom for around 4 years at various trials. She competes nearly every week during the Trials season, and I have seen her on HK at a few of these events. Again from memory, I can't remember seeing her win yet on High Kingdom, but she has certainly been placed on several occasions.

Her other 'best' horse is Lord Lauries. Zara started competing with this gelding in 2010 and therefore he has had 'less appearances' than High Kingdom. I have seen Zara on Lord Lauries on several occasions and yet again from memory, she has not yet won on him, although I think that the pair have been placed on a few occasions, but less that High Kingdom.

Zara has been eventing around 13 or 14 horses [yet again I am relying on my memory] at various Trials over the past few years. In my humble opinion, I think that Toytown is far the best of any horse she has ridden over this period. However, with experience, it is possible that High Kingdom could rise to the challenge in my very humble opinion. Not sure about Lord Lauries, but then of course Zara has only been eventing him for half the time.

Zara certainly works very, very hard indeed. [I digress for a moment, but because Eventing - and indeed horse sports in general -is seen as 'elitist' by many people here in the UK, I sometimes think that riders do not get the recognition they or their sport deserve - shades of 'posh girls on their ponies' and all that which apart from being a shame is also inaccurate, because competitors do come from a more diverse background than is generally realised.]. On this basis, I think that Zara should be able to 'make' something of High Kingdom, but the trouble is that the Olympics are getting closer and closer and therefore High Kingdom in my humble opinion has got quite a 'step up' to make. I will also stick my neck out and say that - again in my very humble opinion - although I am the first to admit that I am not the best person to judge, as I enjoy watching the sport but would not rate myself an expert - that Toytown is the better horse of the two - an incredible horse in fact. I am old enough to remember Doublet, Princess Anne's wonderful horse, the sort of horse that only comes along once or possibly twice in an Eventer's lifetime, and I feel that Toytown is a 'Doublet' and High Kingdom is not.

Having said all of that, I am probably completely wrong. Which, if you think about it, is therefore 'good news' for Zara!

Thank you for your good wishes about next weekend. Horse Events in the UK are generally very enjoyable, even for those who are not 'horse fans'. There is always plenty to see and do: for a start, Land Rover have displays of their vehicles etc - they are principal sponsors of Burghley, and the shopping - Like at Badminton - is wonderful. This sounds odd, because people probably think 'why go shopping at a horse event?' but actually it is a good occasion for lots of 'country type' stallholders to come and 'set out their wares' - there is everything from tack to fine china, clothes to picnic sets. You can actually do a lot of present shopping at Trials - and indeed you even see members of the BRF doing just that on occasions. I usually make a start on my Christmas Shopping at Burghley.

I will keep you posted!

Alex
 
Last edited by a moderator:
That sounds like fun. I hope Zara does well she does seem to work very hard and I think her parents would love to see her follow in their footsteps. Hope you have a great time and look forward to your pictures and posts!
 
Thank you again, Diarist, for all the information- Zara's riding career fascinates me. I'm very much looking forward to reading your posts about the weekend!
 
Here is a nive pic of Zara and her mother the Princess Royal, in Equestrio magazine from september 2010. I don't know if it was already posted, or if it is the place to post it, but I have just discovered it thanks to LadyRomanov who posted a link to the magazine on Charlotte Casiraghi equestrian career thread.
 
Zara was a competitor at Highclere Horse Trials in Berkshire [just outside Newbury] over the bank holiday weekend. The Castle will be well known to all members of TRF who have seen Downton Abbey, as the series was filmed at Highclere. It is of course the ancestral seat of the Earls of Carnarvon. The Seventh Earl, who died a decade ago is familiar to lots of members of TRF as he was the Queen's racing manager and her longtime friend 'Porchie'. Unfortunately, after a couple of excellent days' sport, the final day of the Trials, Monday 29 August, was rained-off.

This afternoon, Wednesday 31 August, Zara was present at Bughley House for the first horse inspection in the main arena. The competition proper kicks off tomorrow with the Dressage Section. It is the event's 50 Anniversary and has a good quota of Phillips family members, as Mark Phillips designed the course, Zara is competing and The Princess Royal is due to visit on Sunday [the final day, on which the show jumping phase of the event is held] and is also scheduled to present the prizes.

The event is due to be Broadcast on both the BBC and satellite channels around the world. However, wherever you are, I would suggest that interested members of TRF might like to visit the Burghley Trials website, where you can view Bughley tv from the link. http://www.burghley-horse.co.uk. Who knows, you might be able to do some 'Royal Spotting'!

Hope this is of interest

Alex


PS
We are attending the event from tomorrow, and so I won't be about much on here - if at all - for the next 3 days.

A
 
Last edited:
Alex, I am so incredably jealous right now, it's not even funny. I'd love to attend an event such as this, but the closest I get is thanks to the coverage during the World Championships and the Olympics. My friend and I have been planning to go to the Royal Winter Fair and the Nations Cup events in Toronto the last few years, but *something* has always come up. We're almost scared to talk about planning to go this year, but have our fingers crossed we can pull it off.

Thanks for the links Dazzling. BTW, who is that in your new avatar? CP Mary or Princess Caroline? Sometimes I can't tell them apart when one or the other tilts her head in a certain way. Like in your avatar. :eek:)
 
Looks like Zara is in 14th place after dressage, which I believe is her weakest area. Can't wait to see how she does tomorrow!
 
Zara is on the cover of Tatler this month.
 
Looks like Zara is in 14th place after dressage, which I believe is her weakest area. Can't wait to see how she does tomorrow!

I got back yesterday from 4 lovely days away at Burghley. It was a good break and I feel very lucky. The weather was not awfully kind - particularly during the show jumping phase [Sunday], the heavens opened and the course became very difficult at times. The 'Royal count' was high - The Princess Royal on the Sunday (she presented the prizes) and Mark Phillips and Zara were there for the whole event. .

The event was won by William Fox-Pitt on Parklane Hawk. William Fox-Pitt has won the event on 5 previous occasions and now has a sixth victory, which is a Burghley Record. There were 3 Britons and 3 New Zealanders in the top 6.

I watched Zara competing throughout the weekend in all 3 disciplines [Dressage, Cross Country and Show Jumping] on her horse High Kingdom. Zara came 10th overall, which I felt was a very respectable result, as her mount is less experienced than the recently-retired Toytown.

The big hurdle now for Zara is whether she and High Kingdom can qualify for the Olympic Eventing team for next year. If Toytown was still competing, I would have thought that Zara would have been a hot favourite to make the Olympic team, and even get a medal. [Sadly, Toytown was not sound in 2008 and 2004 and therefore missed out on the Olympics both times] But with the younger High Kingdom [the best of her current horses], I feel that she has more work on her plate.

Zara is a very hard worker and she has a lot of experience [and family experience, come to that!!] to draw on, so I am crossing my fingers. It would be so good to see Zara in the 2012 Olympic Team in Golden Jubilee Year.

If anyone has any questions, I will try to help,

Alex
 
Zara is a very hard worker and she has a lot of experience [and family experience, come to that!!] to draw on, so I am crossing my fingers. It would be so good to see Zara in the 2012 Olympic Team in Golden Jubilee Year.

Ooh yes, that would be an absolute bonus.
 
I think it would be great if she did too. Is it really possible with the horse so young? Does she have the time to try and really prepare her new horse in time for the Olympics?
 
I'm with Zara on the Facebook business. Plus, it takes up too much time.
 
__________________


Zara Phillips riding Silver Lining V Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials, Oxfordshire, September 8, 2011.



** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 **
 
Goodness! That is one beautiful equine...
 
Couldn't you just see Zara leading an army on that horse?
 
I think it would be great if she did too. Is it really possible with the horse so young? Does she have the time to try and really prepare her new horse in time for the Olympics?


Meadow, in my humble opinon there is nothing extra that Zara can do for High Kingdom that she is not already doing. She appears to be working very hard with him; he is young but NOT very young - about 10 or 11 from memory. Zara has him entered in a number of forthcoming events. She is also not going to be short of the best advice either; Mark Phillips and the Princess Royal are both vastly experienced eventers. The real problem for me is that High Kingdom is a good horse but is NOT the wonderful horse that Toytown was. And so far as Olympic selection is concerned, painful as it is for me to say this, I feel that some of the other GB horsemen and women who are also in contention for Olympic Selection have better horses than Toytown.

Only my thoughts. Anything could happen. Whilst I am emphatically NOT wishing ill on others' horses, Zara was not able to compete in the last two Olympics because he was unfit. Possibly other competitors with potentially better horses might find their own mounts unable to compete. It all depends. Eventing is a real toss-up: both rider and horse have to be fit. In other sports, it is just the human competitor.

Let's hope for the best as it is Golden Jubilee Year.

Alex
 
Oh, I do love pic 6...I love her horse (can't remember his/her name).
 
I love the fact that she really seems to prepare her horses and to take care of them before the competition (pic 2). She's a complete rider, living with her horses and training them herself. She doesn't consider that she is too good for that, letting other people doing it... I hope that this amazingly beautiful grey horse is going to lead her to a gold medal!
 
^^ you're right LovelyKate. I love that about Zara too.

What is she doing to the horse in pic 2?
 
julliette;1316272 What is she doing to the horse in pic 2?[/QUOTE said:
I think that she's preparing her horse's tail for cross, or for dressage. Or maybe she's taking off a protection used to avoid the horse's tail to be damaged during transport, I don't know.
 
^^ you're right LovelyKate. I love that about Zara too.

What is she doing to the horse in pic 2?

It appears she is bandaging her horse's tail!

It is customary to put bandages on a horse's tail and his legs to protect against injury. This is common across all equestrian disciplines - eventing, show jumping, polo etc. If you look at photos of any competitive equestrian discipline, you will probably spot some bandages in use. They should all match so far as colour is concerned, and can therefore look quite smart and contribute to the overall 'look' when turnout is important. [which it always should be, although sometimes it is specifically marked in some competitions.]

I grew up with ponies and then horses and can bandage a horse; the trick is to make sure that the bandage stays in place and does not slip or EVEN worse, fall off! It is slightly easier now than when I learnt in the Pony Club many years ago: most bandages can now be secured with Velcro.

It also takes a certain skill to bandage a tail - lots of things to avoid in that general region, from kicks from hooves to all sorts of other unpleasantnesses at the rear end!!

Hope this helps

Alex
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom