Zara Phillips was picked for the Olympics yesterday — just hours after a terrifying fall from her horse.
The Queen’s grand-daughter was sent crashing during a two-day event.
Her ride, a novice horse called Make Mine Music, caught a crossbar on a fence, became spooked and parted company with Zara.
One spectator said: "She was having a good round — but just as she was looking to go clear, she was unseated over the penultimate jump.
"There were gasps from the crowd but Zara got to her feet very quickly.
"She caught up with her horse — but she was eliminated from the trials as she was timed out."
Unhurt
Another onlooker at the trials at Rodbaston College near Penkridge, Staffs, said: "It looked hairy for a moment.
"But Zara was a true professional and controlled the fall quite well.
"She could have been seriously injured if she hadn’t have been lucky.
"If she wasn’t such a world champion, it could have been much more disastrous."
Zara, 27 next Thursday, emerged unhurt.
And she had the perfect pick-me-up yesterday with her inclusion in the Great Britain team for the Beijing Games in August.
She has been selected on Toytown, the horse on which in 2006 she won the World Championship.
The former BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner said: "It is nice to be selected, but we still have a long way to go.
"I am lucky in that Toytown has been to championship events before, so he knows about big occasions and has been consistent. But an Olympic Games really is very special."
Zara’s mum Princess Anne was a member of the British team at the Montreal Olympics in 1976 and her dad Mark Phillips won a gold medal at the Munich Games in 1972.
Via thesun.co.uk
Britain's Zara Phillips caused a stir at a charity ball by showing off her ample bosom in a very low-cut dress on Wednesday (21.11.07).
The 26-year-old royal accessorised her figure-hugging blue Robert Cavalli dress with a cowboy hat and boots for the Red Cross Ball at London's The Room By The River venue.
Zara was accompanied to the Honky Tonk Blues themed bash by her rugby star fiancé Mike Tindall, who donned a western bootlace tie, jacket and black hat for the event.
While the royal may have drawn some disapproving looks for her risqué dress, Mike, 29, did not seem to have any complaints, and the pair openly kissed and canoodled at their table.
A source said: "They couldn't keep their hands off each other and they didn't care who saw. Mike looked very proud to have such a good-looking woman on his arm."
Other guests at the ball included Girls Aloud singers Kimberley Walsh and Cheryl Cole and actress Joan Collins.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed Zara will receive her Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) at London's Buckingham Palace next Wednesday (28.11.07).
The sports star - who was voted the 2006 BBC Sports Personality of the Year - will be presented with the honour for her services to equestrianism after she won both the European and world eventing titles last year.
Via monstersandcritics.com
