Equestrianism: Solid start for Zara in dressage

Zara Phillips makes her Olympic equestrian debut (EPA)

Members of the Royal family were out in force to show their support to the Queen's granddaughter, Zara Phillips, who made her Olympic equestrian debut.

Phillips' grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as her mother, Princess Anne, were in the VIP seats at Greenwich Park as Phillips competed in the eventing dressage competition.

She scored a solid 48.10 penalty points, despite a mistake near the beginning of her canter in the first "flying change". In the stride, the horse is supposed to change the sequence of his steps from side to side, but High Kingdom didn't respond immediately to Phillips' cues. Phillips, who finished in 40th place in the individual dressage, said it was an "amazing feeling" to take part. In the team event, the British contingent of Nicola Wilson, Mary Thomson-King, Phillips, Tina Cook and William Fox-Pitt are in third place behind Germany and Australia.