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zara tindall horseriding© Photo: Getty Images

Zara Tindall says riding for her country is the absolute dream

The Queen's granddaughter is a proud Olympian

Diane Shipley
Senior Online Writer
June 11, 2020
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Zara Tindall talked about representing Britain at the Olympics and her hope to do so again in a new interview. Speaking to Horse & Hound magazine for a special royal issue, she shared that she enjoyed the pressure of competing. The Queen's granddaughter said: "I love riding for my country; those have been the best experiences of my career. To get your horse to that level is what it's all about and what we all strive for."

WATCH: Zara Tindall voices support for the Queen

She went on: "I love the big occasion because I love the pressure - sitting on a horse that you know is good enough, you are fully prepared, riding for your country, it's what your dreams are made of." Zara was crowned world eventing champion in Germany in 2006 and won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics, which was presented by her mother, Princess Anne. The Princess Royal is also a talented equestrian and competed at the 1976 Olympics.

MORE: Mike Tindall jokes about daughter Mia's first day back to school

zara smile© Photo: Getty Images

Zara is a keen horse rider 

While Tokyo 2020 has been postponed, Zara would like to believe that she and her beloved horse Class Affair might still be able to be part of the team for the rescheduled event. Zara was also unable to compete at Badminton this year, as it was cancelled because of the pandemic, and she revealed that she struggled a little with not having something to aim for. "Having horses like Class Affair and Watkins to aim at Badminton was exciting and gave everything a focus," she said. "Now those goals aren't there, it's quite weird and you have to deal with the disappointment."

READ: Mike and Zara Tindall announce new exciting collaboration with British tech company

On the plus side, the medallist also spoke about how lucky she feels to be able to be close to her horses during this challenging time. Zara lives with her husband Mike and their two young daughters at the Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire, where she has been able to continue to ride during lockdown. The down-to-earth royal said: "Those of us who have been able to spend time with our horses during lockdown are so lucky - a lot of people haven't and that's incredibly tough for them."

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