Royalty Returns to the Olympics
Posted May 13, 2008 at 09:00 AM by Michael J. Sedor
Section: Beijing 2008, Beijing News, Culture/History, Human Interest, Events, Equestrian, Featured Writers, Michael Sedor
Zara Phillips’ recent confirmation as a member of the five-person British equestrian team took no fan of the sport by surprise. She is the reigning world eventing - a rugged combination of equestrian’s three disciplines - champion, the daughter of two Olympians and perhaps the world’s greatest overall jumper, male or female. Her father is the coach of the United States Olympic eventing team, and her mother was named BBC’s 1971 Sports Personality of the year. Phillips herself won that same prestigious award in 2006. 2007’s winner was world champion boxer Joe Calzaghe.
No, what’s most surprising about the twenty-six-year-old MBE is that she is currently number twelve in line for the British throne. That’s right. Her mother is Princess Anne (number ten) and her grandmother is the queen of England. In a recent GQ Sport interview Zara takes it all in stride laughing off her label as a Royal pin-up, shrugging off marriage questions regarding her rugby star boyfriend Mike Tindall, and admitting that she would have lived a wilder life had she not been born into royalty. Her cover shot should do wonders for equestrian attention; she seductively poses while draped in the Union Jack.
Zara probably doesn’t mind the gossipy royal-gazing attention as it distracts the public from her sports recent turmoil and controversy, much of it stemming from the controversial and exceedingly difficult race courses designed by her father. 12 riders have died in the past year and a half and the sport’s safety is under a serious microscope. Had these injuries occurred in a more mainstream sport like auto racing, American football, mixed martial arts, or boxing then there surely would have been a collective uproar. We hope that more precautions are in place during Beijing 2008 because a tragedy there could end the sport forever.
Image Source: GQ