Zara and Toytown at the 2005 European Championships at Blenheim Palace Photo: Kit Houghton
Zara Phillips and Toytown, who were crowned European eventing champions at Blenheim Palace in 2005, are returning to the scene of their great victory this autumn.
Toytown, who carried Zara to triumph in the World Equestrian Games the year following their European Championship win, is heading the Parade of Champions at Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials – part of the Oxfordshire event’s 25th anniversary celebrations.
Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials runs from 17th-20th September 2015, and the Parade of Champions – former winners of the event - takes place on the afternoon of Sunday, 20th September.
Toytown, now 22, lives in happy retirement at Zara’s Gloucestershire home.
Zara, who is hoping to be part of Britain’s team at the Rio Olympics in 2016, is also competing a new horse in Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials’ prestigious CIC3* class for eight-and-nine-year-old horses.
She will be riding Watkins, a nine-year-old thoroughbred gelding, who started his career in New Zealand and joined Zara’s team this year. The pair finished eighth in their first CCI2* at Camphire in Ireland recently; this will be their first attempt at three-star level.
Mandy Hervieu, Event Director of Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials, said: “We are delighted to have Toytown and Zara at Blenheim this year. Toytown is one of the most famous, best-loved event horses of all time and we hope that spectators will enjoy the chance to see him once more.”
