Mia Tindall followed in her mother’s equestrian footsteps at the weekend – and was the spitting image of Zara competing around the same age.
The 12-year-old took the reins for the team show jumping competition at the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials in Oxfordshire on Sunday.
Wearing traditional uniform as she rode her pony Bunny Two Twirls, Mia looked very much like Zara did when she took part in an Animal Fun Day charity event at Ascot Racecourse in 1992 aged 11.
Her mother beamed as she watched her daughter, having competed at Blenheim herself earlier this weekend on her horse Classicals Euro Star, affectionately known as Casper.
The mother and daughter daughter were pictured chatting and smiling in jodhpurs this morning, both looking in their element as they prepared to saddle up.
Later on in the day, Zara was spotted helping Mia prepare to compete, watching her do a practice round of the jumps and feeding Mia’s pony.
The young royal looked confident as she cleared the jumps, competing in the showjumping section of the trials as part of her team Minchinhampton Pony Club, which is based near Stroud, Gloucestershire.
Mia looked grown up and smart in her traditional riding uniform, donning black polished riding boots, a fitted competition jacket, and her hair swept back into a low bun beneath a black helmet.
Experienced equestrian Zara cheered her daughter Mia (pictured on her horse, Bunny Two Twirls) on at Blenheim Palace this weekend
The royal watched from the sidelines as her daughter cleared the jumps on a grey gelding pony
Zara had competed herself two days earlier at the same event on her horse Classicals Euro Star
Mia had been spotted grooming her mother’s horse at Blenheim on Saturday before competing herself the next day.
Zara, who is married to former England rugby player Mike Tindall and is the King’s niece, was dressed casually in white skinny jeans on Saturday and a navy blue jacket, as she cheered Mia on.
The royal completed her equestrian look with her hair tied back in a low bun and a pair of stylish sunglasses.
Zara, who won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics and was once voted BBC Sports Personality Of The Year, proudly supported her eldest daughter at the junior event.
It is perhaps no surprise that the young royal has inherited her family’s love of horses. Her grandparents, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, both competed at the Olympics in horsing events.
Zara and her daughter looked right at home in matching jodhpurs as they attended the event together this weekend
Queen Elizabeth II, meanwhile, rode as a small child up until a few weeks before her death aged 96 in 2022.
In a 2019 interview, Zara revealed that both her daughters, Mia and Lena, had taken to riding at a young age, adding: ‘They both ride. Lena is in a little basket on the saddle, purely a passenger. But we just bought Mia a new pony called Magic.’
The Blenheim Palace Horse Trials, which take place at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, ran from Friday to Sunday, with the Dressage phase running from Thursday to Friday, while the Cross-country phase began on Saturday.
Zara has competed at the prestigious equestrian event several times – and in 2005 won individual and team gold on Toytown during the European Championships.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login