Zara Tindall horse rides on stunning Australian beach as she escapes 'bleak' January

Zara Tindall has horse ridden on a stunning Australian beach as she escaped "bleak" early January in the UK.

Whilst their fellow royals are still wrapping up warm in their best winter coats and boots, Zara Tindall has swapped the UK’s cold snap for the sunshine of the Gold Coast. The King’s niece and her husband Mike Tindall are currently enjoying all that January in Australia has to offer. On 9th January the couple attended the Magic Millions Barrier Draw and it’s no surprise that equestrian Zara took to the saddle as she took part herself, riding horseback on the beach.

Open to the public, Zara's horse riding was watched by quite the crowd and she’s not only an Ambassador for Magic Millions but a member of The Magic Millions Racing Women Achievement Awards judging panel.

Zara Phillips: A Revealing Portrait of a Royal World Champion by Brian Hoey | £12.45 at Amazon 

Delving into Zara's life, this 2008 biography sheds light on everything from her childhood, to her relationships with her fellow royals and, of course, her formidable equestrian career.

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Dressed practically yet vibrantly in a red Magic Millions polo top, white trousers and knee high riding boots, Zara looked every inch the chic royal equestrian. As well as taking part in the race, Zara also enjoyed a brief ride into the ocean and was pictured engaging happily with the fans who’d lined the beach to watch the event. 

She wasn’t the only high-profile attendee, though, as celebrities including Chris Hemsworth’s wife Elsa Pakaty and Prince Harry’s friend Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras were also there. The Barrier Draw took place a few days after the awards which recognise and celebrate the “outstanding national success and achievements” of women in the "thoroughbred industry".

As an Olympian and professional equestrian herself, Zara has a vested interest and she looked delighted to be back in Australia. The country holds special significance for her and Mike as they first met in Sydney during the 2003 Rugby World Cup. 

They’ve returned plenty of times over the years and Mike declared to Australian Women’s Weekly in 2019 that the Australian sun is especially wonderful during "bleak" early January in the UK.

"Early January is bleak over here so it's nice to go and have a bit of sun," he explained. "I love the lifestyle of Australia and the ability to get up early, go on the beach – especially for the kids, taking them in the ocean is brilliant."

Whilst Zara admitted that it was unlikely they’d ever move from their Gatcombe Park home to Australia imminently, the royal didn’t rule out the possibility either.

"Probably not while I'm still competing. It would be a little bit hard commuting. But after that… yes, I think if an opportunity came up we'd definitely think about it," she shared.

Ultimately, a move Down Under hasn’t taken place since then and after appearing on the 2022 series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in Australia, Mike addressed relocating in an interview with Hello!.

"Never say never," he declared. "But it’s not on the cards, people try to say that we almost did, but we never almost did. It's never been an actual thing where we’ve looked for a house or anything."

Mike added, "We love Australia a lot and we love the lifestyle. I think it's brilliant for kids but whether we could actually move there, we're not sure."

So it seems that for now Zara and Mike view Australia as a much-loved destination for travel but not necessarily their new home. Regardless of this, Zara Tindall horse riding on the beach was a lovely glimpse into their time there as they soak up some winter sun.