Zara Phillips called up for UK's three-day equestrian squad

Aug 10, 2005, 14:54 GMT

Zara Phillips has been called up for the UK's three-day equestrian eventing squad for the upcoming European championships.

The pretty blonde, who is the daughter of Britain's Princess Anne, was handed a last minute call-up to the team yesterday (09.08.05) after team rival Pippa Funnell was forced to withdraw from next month's event, in England, after her horse got injured.

The surprise selection will give Zara a boost in her bid to earn a place in the eventing team for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and the 2012 London
Olympics.

The stunning royal narrowly missed out on a place in the squad for the last Olympic Games, in Athens, because of an injury to her favourite competitive horse, Toytown.

Zara has made no secret of her desire to compete in the Olympics and follow in the footsteps of her parents, Anne and her ex-husband Captain Mark Phillips, who both competed at the Games themselves.

She said: "I want to have the chance to be as good as, or better, than my mother.

"I would love to compete at the Beijing Olympic Games and hopefully London.

Toytown is sound now and if we can keep it that way, I would love the chance to do all the things I want to."

Princess Anne was 26 when she represented Britain at 1976's Montreal Games, but did not win a medal.

Zara's father Captain Phillips won team Gold in the equestrian event at the Munich Olympics in 1972.

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