Zara Philips dedicates victory
to Irish rider
 ZARA Philips —
the daughter of Princess Anne — has dedicated her gold medal in
the World Showjumping Championships to the Irish rider Sherelle Duke,
her close friend who was killed eventing recently.
The 28-year-old Portadown rider died when her horse fell on her at a cross-country
event in Southampton.
The Queen’s granddaughter said after her win: “I went out
today to do it for a friend of mine who died a week ago today and to try
and get her a gold medal.
“I was just so relieved that I managed to give that to her, because
we didn’t manage to go over and say goodbye.”
Miss Duke was laid to rest last week at Mullavilly Churchyard. Her boyfriend
Ross McCandless told mourners at Portadown Baptist Church of his “undying
love” for the former World Young Rider Champion.
Among the mourners were senior Dublin politicians and Zara Philips’
brother Peter.
A rider’s hat was on top of the coffin as it was brought into the
church by mourners.
Miss Duke was a member of the Irish equestrian team in the 2003 European
Championships.
Her family is well-known in the Portadown area and in the business world
after setting up the Dukes Transport Company.
For years she rode in the company’s colours of red and white. Equestrian
journalist Ruth Loney said: “Zara was devastated when the accident
happened, but the team were already in Germany preparing for the World
Championships.”
“The whole team of the British and Irish took Sherelle’s colours
of red and white and had a little ribbon on their lapels throughout the
competition.”
The journalist said Zara’s mount, Toytown, was a “very honest
Irish horse” which had been bought “very cheaply by (her father)
Mark Phillips”.
Zara is now second-favourite with some bookmakers to win the BBC’s
Sports Personality of the Year, behind Andy Murray but ahead of Monty
Panesar, Steven Gerrard and David Walliams.
Ms Philips made eventing history as she became only the third rider to
hold both the world and European three-day event titles simultaneously.
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