Royal Watch News
Zara the champion
Oct 3, 2006, 13:58 GMT
Britain's Zara Phillips has been named Equestrian of the Year.
The 25-year-old royal received the accolade at the Horse of the Year show, in recognition of her recent individual gold medal at the World Equestrian Games in Germany.
The blonde royal is only the third rider in history to hold both the World and European championship titles at the same time.
The sportswoman dedicated her win in Germany to fellow show-jumper Sherelle Duke, who tragically died nine days before the competition after being crushed by her horse.
She said: "I went out today to do it for a friend of mine who died a week ago. I wanted to try and get her a gold medal.
"I am so relieved that I was able to give that to her, because I didn't manage to say goodbye."
Zara's mother, Princess Anne, became European champion in 1971 and her father Mark Phillips - who is also her trainer - won the team gold medal three times.
The royal now hopes to concentrate on her bid to get into the British Olympic Equestrian team for the 2008 Beijing Games.
(C) BANG Media International
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