Olympics 2012: Royal Zara Philips picked for Team GB (Irish Independent, 12/06/12)

Bred in Co.Wicklow by William Micklem. By Master Imp ex High Dolly. ZARA Phillips has been picked to represent Great Britain at this summer's Olympic Games in London. The Queen's granddaughter described her selection to the eventing team as "awesome". Phillips, the 2006 world champion, is following in the footsteps of her parents, who both rode in the Olympic Games for the country. Her mother, the Princess Royal, competed at the 1976 Montreal Games, while her father Captain Mark Phillips was a team gold medallist at Munich in 1972 and then won silver in Seoul 16 years later. Phillips, who is married to former England rugby captain Mike Tindall, said: "It's awesome to be given this opportunity. "I am really excited and can't wait to kick on and get him there. Hopefully, we will make it this time." The eventing star will ride High Kingdom at Greenwich Park next month. Her hopes of an Olympic place in 2004 and 2008 were dashed by injuries to her world title-winning horse Toytown. She added: "High Kingdom is a pretty cool, very relaxed kind of guy. "I was really happy with him at Bramham as he had obviously grown up and is improving all the time. "He's pretty pony-like, a nippy little jumper and easy to manoeuvre, so hopefully it will suit him well in Greenwich. "High Kingdom is owned by Trevor Hemmings, who has been one of my earliest supporters. He has owned a lot of my horses and has been so supportive, I couldn't do it without him." Phillips been chosen alongside William Fox-Pitt, Mary King, Piggy French and Tina Cook for London 2012. She clinched her spot with a third-placed finish in Sunday's Bramham International CIC three-star class after posting a personal best dressage score, and then jumping clear in the showjumping and cross-country phases. http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/olympics-2012-royal-zara-philips-picked-for-team-gb-3136726.html