Zara Phillips hopes that the 2012 Games will prove more successful than her previous Olympic experiences.
She was ruled out of both Athens in 2004 and Bejing in 2008 due to injuries with her horse at the time, Toytown.
Phillips qualified for Team GB’s eventing squad in June, after finishing third in the Branham Horse Trials and will take part in the dressage, cross country and show jumping events with her new horse High Kingdom.
Both of the 31-year-old’s parents have also competed in the Olympics, with Princess Anne taking part in the 1976 Games, while her father Captain Mark Phillips won gold in the team event, four years earlier.
Zara Phillips told the BBC: “I’ve had High Kingdom for a long time – he’s a very different character to Toytown. Every time you get a horse you need to build up a relationship. He’s getting better and better in dressage – that’s his weakest phase. Hopefully, he’s going to improve in the next couple of weeks.”
Phillips’ eventing team mates are William Fox-Pitt, Mary King, Tina Cook and Nicola Wilson.
Sophia Smith, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
