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Zara Phillips named as part of team for Olympic Games
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| HONOUR: Zara Phillips is Hong Kong-bound this summer. |
One may have to abandon one's strongly entrenched superstition to compete in the Olympic Games.
Zara Phillips was among five riders named yesterday in Great Britain's equestrian team for the Beijing Olympics, following in the hoofprints of her mother and father, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips.
Her father won gold and silver in the three-day team event in 1972 and 1988, while her mother, European champion in 1971, competed in the 1976 Olympics.
The 26-year-old Ms Phillips, 12th in line to the throne, is chosen with William Fox-Pitt and Mary King, both of whom won team silver four years ago in Athens, plus Sharon Hunt and Lucy Wiegersma.
They may have views on their royal team-mate's professed superstition. "I have to wear the same socks when I go cross-country," says Zara. She does not say whether they get washed.
Eventing is a hotbed of superstition. Scotland's most prolific Olympic medallist, three-day eventer Ian Stark, won four silvers in five Games while saluting magpies, touching wood and throwing salt over his shoulder.
Selection with her mount Toytown is belated for the Queen's grand-daughter.
She should have gone to Athens four years ago but Toytown was injured.
However, the following year she steered him to individual and team gold at the European Championships, and when she won individual gold at the World Equestrian Games in 2006, she became only the third rider to hold world and European titles at the same time.
"It is nice to be selected, but we still have a long way to go," she said. "I am lucky in that Toytown has been to championship events before, so he knows about big occasions and has been consistent, but an Olympic Games really is special."
The eventing is being staged in Hong Kong because of quarantine restrictions on the Chinese mainland. It starts on August 9.
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Posted by: nouveauxscum on 11:53pm Fri 9 May 08
Excellent rider I've been told. :-)
Excellent rider I've been told. :-)
Posted by: Jim Baxter, RIP, Hong Kong, Saikung, Hon Kong on 2:54am Sat 10 May 08
Another useless Royal with more money than sense
Another useless Royal with more money than sense
Posted by: Free Thinker, North Lanarkshire on 8:21am Sat 10 May 08
Another fine example of how the 'UK', bizarrely wraps itself round these Black Nobility parasites due to the unseen hidden hand. The House of Saxe Coburg Gothe only remain because they control not only the armed forces but the private banking scam as well.
As this crap unfolds keep in mind Scotland's housing schemes...
Another fine example of how the 'UK', bizarrely wraps itself round these Black Nobility parasites due to the unseen hidden hand. The House of Saxe Coburg Gothe only remain because they control not only the armed forces but the private banking scam as well.
As this crap unfolds keep in mind Scotland's housing schemes...
Posted by: Disgusted Dorothy, Glasgow on 2:26pm Sat 10 May 08
Well done Zara.
You misery guts , she got there on merit and good on this bonny lass!
Well done Zara.
You misery guts , she got there on merit and good on this bonny lass!
Posted by: joe90, Wishaw on 5:04pm Sat 10 May 08
The British nobility off to China to give a much needed boost to their fellow un-elected cohorts in the People's Republic of exploitation, torture and dictatorial lawlessness.
The British nobility off to China to give a much needed boost to their fellow un-elected cohorts in the People's Republic of exploitation, torture and dictatorial lawlessness.
Posted by: Betty Uttley, California (England originally) on 6:17pm Sat 10 May 08
There they go again, anything they want, she may have taken someones place that could have done a really good job.
The royalty only play at these games, because they have nothing better to do.
First there was Harry, a medal for the services he gave in the war, he could not wait to get home, what was it 10 weeks????
Then we have William, taking helicopters to his girlfriends house, also to the wedding he was attending (more taxpayers money for the petrol he used) I wonder if all the RAF lads can do that????
Then we have Zara Phillips brother, he was supposed to give up the line of succession so that he could get married to a Catholic (nothing against catholics) but she decided to give her religion up for him, even though it was stressed in the newspaper that she would not give it up.
Now we have Zara Phillips, going to China to be in the Olympics, she never could stay on that horse.
I suppose the Royals just stand there and stamp their feet and say (I want) and grand mother gets it for them. Sounds so much like Geo. W. Bush, only its his father that buys, whatever, he is stamping his feet for.
There they go again, anything they want, she may have taken someones place that could have done a really good job.
The royalty only play at these games, because they have nothing better to do.
First there was Harry, a medal for the services he gave in the war, he could not wait to get home, what was it 10 weeks????
Then we have William, taking helicopters to his girlfriends house, also to the wedding he was attending (more taxpayers money for the petrol he used) I wonder if all the RAF lads can do that????
Then we have Zara Phillips brother, he was supposed to give up the line of succession so that he could get married to a Catholic (nothing against catholics) but she decided to give her religion up for him, even though it was stressed in the newspaper that she would not give it up.
Now we have Zara Phillips, going to China to be in the Olympics, she never could stay on that horse.
I suppose the Royals just stand there and stamp their feet and say (I want) and grand mother gets it for them. Sounds so much like Geo. W. Bush, only its his father that buys, whatever, he is stamping his feet for.
Posted by: Thyme Kelpie on 6:58pm Sat 10 May 08
All you 'experts' on the skills of eventing are just plain ignorant - very ignorant.
Zara is there on MERIT and merit alone. She has worked hard for this - as hard as any other athlete- and all you can do is knock her. Would you do that to the likes of Dame Ellen, Liz McColghin, Steve Redgrave etc?
No because, like Zara, they earned their awards. It is easy to be sneering; it is not easy to be an award winning athlete in any discipline.
All you 'experts' on the skills of eventing are just plain ignorant - very ignorant.
Zara is there on MERIT and merit alone. She has worked hard for this - as hard as any other athlete- and all you can do is knock her. Would you do that to the likes of Dame Ellen, Liz McColghin, Steve Redgrave etc?
No because, like Zara, they earned their awards. It is easy to be sneering; it is not easy to be an award winning athlete in any discipline.
Posted by: joe90, Wishaw on 7:26pm Sat 10 May 08
My aplogies Thyme Kelpie
if you thought I was doubting the good Zara's athletics skills and her obvious merit as a sportsperson.
It is the anti-democratic Beijing regime I am critcisingreally, and the fact The Herald makes no metion of the crimes of these Chinese dictators.
Remember - we attacked, invaded and are occupying Iraq and Afghanistan because we support democracy, supposedly.
all the best TK!
My aplogies Thyme Kelpie
if you thought I was doubting the good Zara's athletics skills and her obvious merit as a sportsperson.
It is the anti-democratic Beijing regime I am critcisingreally, and the fact The Herald makes no metion of the crimes of these Chinese dictators.
Remember - we attacked, invaded and are occupying Iraq and Afghanistan because we support democracy, supposedly.
all the best TK!
Posted by: Free Thinker, North Lanarkshire on 10:00pm Sat 10 May 08
[quote][bold]Thyme Kelpie[/bold] wrote:
All you 'experts' on the skills of eventing are just plain ignorant - very ignorant. Zara is there on MERIT and merit alone. She has worked hard for this - as hard as any other athlete- and all you can do is knock her. Would you do that to the likes of Dame Ellen, Liz McColghin, Steve Redgrave etc? No because, like Zara, they earned their awards. It is easy to be sneering; it is not easy to be an award winning athlete in any discipline.[/quote] Merit? Gosh! Sitting on a lump of dead animal skin draped over a horse jumping over sticks? Smashing! As you gaze hypnotically at the beamed in equestrian over funded captive audience misappropriated BBC 25 Hz flicker in the corner, gushing and clapping at the wondrous achievements for humankind by our intrepid betters pursuing boredom avoidance… Pause for thought at the well-oiled logistics, presentation and slick delivery… then transport your very being to a Scottish housing scheme… get the picture? Wakey wakey!
Thyme Kelpie wrote:
All you 'experts' on the skills of eventing are just plain ignorant - very ignorant. Zara is there on MERIT and merit alone. She has worked hard for this - as hard as any other athlete- and all you can do is knock her. Would you do that to the likes of Dame Ellen, Liz McColghin, Steve Redgrave etc? No because, like Zara, they earned their awards. It is easy to be sneering; it is not easy to be an award winning athlete in any discipline.
Merit? Gosh! Sitting on a lump of dead animal skin draped over a horse jumping over sticks? Smashing! As you gaze hypnotically at the beamed in equestrian over funded captive audience misappropriated BBC 25 Hz flicker in the corner, gushing and clapping at the wondrous achievements for humankind by our intrepid betters pursuing boredom avoidance… Pause for thought at the well-oiled logistics, presentation and slick delivery… then transport your very being to a Scottish housing scheme… get the picture? Wakey wakey!
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