Billy’s big royal visit is just Magic
QUEENSLAND State of Origin coach Billy Slater has found a new challenge to keep him busy in the off season – cross-country horse jumping.
“Horses have a persuasive way of speaking to me,” Slater said at the British Festival of Eventing at Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Estate outside London. “I would do this tomorrow.”
Slater spent the weekend with wife Nicole and fellow Magic Millions Ambassador Zara Tindall, the Queen’s granddaughter, and retired rugby ace husband Mike.
“I am realistic enough to understand that a lot of work goes into it,” he said after Zara completed her round of the challenging cross-country course.
The Olympic silver medallist had been reunited with her fellow Magic Millions ambassador the night before and was kicking herself for not planning ahead for the typical Aussie arrival.
“Drinking the night before, what was I thinking?” she laughed.”
“Riding around Gatcombe, I don’t know why I do it, it’s always a nightmare riding around home.”
Zara, who completed a clear round in the show jumping the next morning, will be back in Australia for the Magic Millions yearling sales on the Gold Coast in January. She is keen to compete in the polo and show jumping, which now offers the country’s richest prize pool at $1m.
She will also both be racing against Slater in the famous beach race along the sand at Surfers Paradise.
“She has got me a couple of times in that,” Slater said.
“I might need to talk to the people who hand out the horses,” he said.
“Don’t worry, you will still be trailing in my dust,” Zara told him.
Since they last met in Australia before Covid, she has had son Lucas, 1, to join sisters Mia, 8, and Lena, 4.
They will be coming to Australia with their parents in the summer.
Her brother and event organiser Peter Phillips said: “Quite simply without Magic Millions’ support we could not run this festival as it is.
“We really try to be a celebration of all things eventing from the grassroots to professional level and Magic Millions allows us to do that.”
Magic Millions co-owner Katie Page has renewed the sponsorship of the popular Gatcombe event for another
DON’T WORRY, YOU WILL STILL BE TRAILING IN MY DUST ... ZARA TINDALL TO BILLY SLATER
three years and said it was a perfect showcase for the Australian horse industry.
“Our industry is global. This event is the kick off to the Magic Millions in January, it brings together all of our international clients and ambassadors and gets them excited about coming to Australia in the summer,” Ms Page said.
Ms Page said the Magic Millions ambassadors all had a love of horses, whether racing, eventing, polo or showjumping.
For his part, Slater will also be selling in January – he has two yearlings that could be ready for the sale.
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