A report in the UK’s The Telegraph newspaper says that Zara Phillips and her husband Mike Tindall have sold their house in Cheltenham and are moving to Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park estate near Minchinhampton. Zara already keeps her horses on the estate, the venue for two of England’s top events.
Other eventers have previously enjoyed the facilities at Gatcombe Park; when married, Andrew and Bettina Hoy were based there for several years
Zara, who was recently in Australia for the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast, took advantage of the chance to ride track work during a media call and gave a really good interview to the Financial Review. In it she talks about her horses; the 17 hand gelding Toytown “He’s retired, but he’s still at home teaching all the other horses bad habits,” she says “He’s high maintenance. He knows he’s very good and the centre of attention, whereas High Kingdom is the total opposite. He’s much more laid back . . . Far more unassuming.”
Zara and High Kingdom at London 2012
According to the article written by Fiona Carruthers (wish I’d got this gig!), Zara has seven horses at work and is aiming for Badminton and various other high-profile European three-day events.
“This year is going to be so much quieter than last year. But it’s still just business as usual – keep building up your top horses and try and keep them safe and sound.”
Her horses are sourced from around the world – including Ireland, Germany, Holland and three from New Zealand.
“I like the Kiwi thoroughbreds – they’re tough,” she says. “I’m not very good with warmbloods. I love thoroughbreds. You get to the point where you suit a certain type of horse – you get on with a certain type of horse.
Apparently while Zara and the rest of team GB were disappointed not to clinch the gold “on home turf”, the crowd’s cheering, the presence of almost all her cousins (including Prince William and his wife, Kate) and her mother, father and brother and that Princess Anne presented her with the medal made up for it.
“We thought we could get there [win gold] but at the end of the day, you know, when you get to put a silver medal around your neck, you realise you can stop whingeing,” she says and, with a slightly wicked smile “We knew we were going to beat the Aussies [in the 3DE],” she quips.
To read the full article in the Australian Financial Review CLICK HERE
