the thirtieth of july 2012
day two
Adrenaline.
It was pure adrenaline that was coursing through her veins. Making her feel every single pump of her heart as it pushed more and more around her body.
She was like this every cross country morning. Out of her wits with nerves whilst simultaneously managing to be unbelievably excited and a little bit terrified. An unusual combination that meant Bella was a strange person to be around on those mornings.
She would go quite, which was strange within itself, and it didn't matter what you were saying to her, unless it was about the course she was about to jump or about her horse, there was no response. Perhaps a brief nod if she felt like it, but no words.
Bella was far too busy concentrating on the thought of the solid fences she would be galloping over for words.
Rio was buzzing as well. Which, like Bella, was not an unusual occurrence. He could feel the atmosphere. The excitement of cross country. He was like a coiled spring, ready to jump at any moment.
That was what she needed. Well, that was what she needed to a certain extent. The course was hilly, and twisty, and turny.
But she had every faith in Rio. He was as fit as a butcher's dog. He could, and always would, go the extra mile.
The question was, could she hold him for the turns and the steep hills? Could she stop him running away towards jumps? Maybe even stop him going too fast?
Bella hoped so. She wanted to believe she could. And she would certainly soon find out.
♔♕
"A very exciting round this is with it hopefully being one of the faster ones for Team GB... and they look absolutely ready and raring to go, next on to the cross country we have of course, Her Royal Highness Princess Isabella of Wales riding Antarctic Emperor for Team GB."
♔♕
It was, quite literally, a tunnel of noise.
In every point of her vision that wasn't what was straight in front of her, there were people. Red, white and blue blurs as she galloped past them, looking ahead for the next jump.
Rio felt amazing.
He was pulling and pulling, which she probably would dislike in a few moments when they jumped off the step, but for now, it was good.
Very, very good.
♔♕
"Well he's absolutely full of running is this horse, you can just see there he's lifting his head as they come into the jump to try and get above the bit and pull even more than he is... she's not letting him though, and a beautiful jump it is over that one... it would certainly be a surprise to me if this isn't inside the time."
♔♕
This was fast.
She could feel it. And a glance down at her watch told her it for certain.
They were bang on for being well inside the time.
But then a red flag was shown on course.
That was not what she wanted.
♔♕
"Now what's happened? I can't hear the public address but I think that she might have been held on course... yes I think she has, she's just stopping her watch I think... oh, that is so so disappointing, she was going so well."
♔♕
According to the stewards, someone had fallen off just ahead and the course was still blocked.
Whilst there was nothing to be done about it, it was annoying.
He had been going so well.
They were just about half way round and he had just started to relax a little and not pull so much.
And now he was doing nothing else but that.
♔♕
"So if you're just joining us here, the competition has been delayed once again... currently being held on course is Princess Isabella, and uh, by the looks of it she isn't that upset but her horse definitely is!
My god, look at that, I think she's just um telling the stewards to move further away from her there which is advice I would take if I were them... he's rearing and bucking and jumping all over the place is Rio."
♔♕
Bella was frantically trying to remember whether or not you were disqualified if you fell off whilst being held on course.
She thought not.
She hoped and prayed to god that she was right.
For as long as she had been riding Rio the aim had been to keep him calm, occupied and focused. Yet he was now quite literally the exact opposite.
He was prancing around, throwing the odd buck every now and again, rearing up when she wouldn't let him go, snorting in frustration at the fact she had pulled him up whilst he was doing his favourite thing.
Rio didn't understand. Of course he didn't. He didn't know that someone had fallen off just ahead of them, and that they had to stop for a moment until the course was clear.
All he knew was that he had been galloping and jumping and thoroughly enjoying himself, and then he had been stopped. If Bella was in that position she's be getting pissed off as well.
The only problem was that this was the Olympics.
There were plenty of times for him to get pissed off. There were plenty of times for her to fall off.
The Olympics was not one of them.
♔♕
"Oh this is so disappointing, this is really not what anyone would have wanted... she seems to be handling it quite well though, I think Bella's just decided there to keep him moving, keep him trotting around... he's still trying to run and gallop and he's throwing in the odd buck - ooh there we go, almost like he heard me there! But all things considering, she's doing remarkably well... let's just hope they get moving quickly again."
♔♕
Bella was actually 90% sure that if they weren't allowed to start going again soon, her arms would be pulled out of their sockets.
Which was, again, not the things you wanted to really happen at the Olympics.
But she had to keep her head in the game. There was no time for thoughts like that. Keep concentrating. Keep thinking of the course ahead.
There was no time to be distracted by small things like arms being pulled out of their sockets.
There was a cross country course to complete.
And by god she was going to do it.
♔♕
"Oooh hang on, there's some movement, I think something might be happening here.
Yes indeed I think Isabella has just been given the go ahead there, excellent, that is good news... and you can see she's just going a bit further back so that they can match the times up and now here we go.
So finally, after a stop on course, Her Royal Highness Princess Isabella riding Antarctic Emperor for Great Britain is off again."
♔♕
Rio was off like an absolute rocket.
And she was so terribly terribly glad that there wasn't a jump straight away and the next one was one where it didn't matter that she had absolutely no control whatsoever.
It got better after that one.
They took an absolute flyer to it but he made it. Of course he did.
And then she was able to gain some control which was always good.
This was it now. They were back on track. Back on track to, hopefully, do well.
At least there was no doubt in anyone's mind that they would make the time.
♔♕
"Well it certainly is going to be a fast round this, I think probably one of the fastest rounds of the day so far.
You can just see now as they're coming in to the third to last, Rio is just beginning to drop the bridle slightly... that is at the third to last jump of an Olympic cross country course. Most horses at this point in the course are having to be kicked on a bit but not this one, oh no... in fact if anyone's horse comes up lame then I think this one will be more than happy to go again! He'll probably be much more rideable that time as well."
♔♕
They were over the penultimate jump.
This was it. One last gallop round the corner. One more jump and that was it. They would have done it.
The crowd were unbelievable. Screaming and cheering and waving as the two of them galloped round the final corner, a smile already spreading over Bella's face.
One, two, three.
Up and over. And as Rio's feet touched the ground, for the first time in the entire of the course she kicked on, her hand automatically punching the air as they crossed the finished line.
Standing up in her stirrups with a grin from ear to ear, Bella cheered back at the crowd, giving Rio a well deserved pat as she desperately tried to slow him down.
♔♕
"Well what an amazing round that was, you can just see the absolute joy on her face there as they gallop over the finish line, absolutely full of running this horse is... and oh, look at that, lots of smiles from the Royal Family there as well... but um, what a show of horsemanship that was, if there's ever a round that showed the need to understand and trust your horse it was that one... clear and inside the time for Princess Isabella riding Antarctic Emperor for Great Britain, could we ask for more?"
♔♕
He had done it. It hadn't been easy. And it didn't happen how she had imagined it. But he had done it. They had done it.
And they were clear and inside the time as well.
Up to 6th place they went.
The games were certainly going very nicely indeed.
♔♕
the thirty-first of july 2012
day three
It hadn't meant to be like this.
Or more correctly, it wasn't supposed to have happened like this.
But as it was, Nicola had a pole down, meaning her score was too high. William might have gone clear but his score from yesterday meant that was also discredited. And then Zara had one down and one time fault meaning any margin for error had gone down to a tiny 4 faults.
There was exactly four faults between them winning the team gold and the team silver.
Four faults.
One pole.
One pole down and they would loose it.
Three time penalties, not four.
No, four times penalties would mean they would loose it.
And this responsibility, the hopes of the entire team, the equestrian community, Team GB, Great Britain itself, rested on Bella's shoulders.
Of course it did. It wouldn't have been her life if it didn't.
It wasn't supposed to rest on her shoulders. No. No, she was young, the inexperienced one out of the team, she was supposed to be their insurance.
The plan had been for the experienced ones to go first, establish a precedent, make the gold secure.
But at the moment the gold was about as secure as windbreaker in a tornado.
So now it was left to Bella.
She had to be clear.
To win the gold, she had to have no more than three penalties.
But was there enough time penalties in hand to go clear? Would she be able to slow down enough to go clear? Or would that loose precious time that they did not have?
Once again, Bella would soon find out.
♔♕
"And I think from the reaction of the crowds, we all know who is entering the arena now... we can just see there the Royal party of the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Royal, Princes William and Harry and of course Kate all looking a bit nervous... and um, make no mistake, Isabella is not in the British team because of who she is, she's here because of what she is and what she is is an absolute top-class eventing rider and I think her rounds here so far have proved just that.
So here we go, the bell has rung... last to go for Team GB is Her Royal Highness Princess Isabella of Wales riding Antarctic Emperor.
Well they're over the first clear and I'll tell you something you would not know this horse went out and stormed through that cross country course yesterday, he is pulling her all the way.
Now, as we know it is incredibly tight at the top, she has three penalties in hand, that means one fence down and Great Britain has lost the gold medal... a lot of pressure on this young woman's shoulders, but I don't think anybody is doubting her ability... as usual she just needs to keep a lid on Rio, if she can do that, there shouldn't be a problem.
I tell you what, you could cut the tension in here with a knife... it is absolutely silent in this arena, every single person is focused on this combination... and by the looks of it, time is not the problem, he's a very fast horse this one, and they're absolutely where they should be for time, it's just if they can keep the fences up."
♔♕
They were clear so far.
And he was pulling her all the way so they must have been right for time.
But now it was the triple.
And it was the exact same layout as the triple that had haunted her dreams ever since she knocked the last oxer at the pony club championships meaning she lost the win.
Her grandfather had told her then that she would never make the same mistake again. And it was true.
Going into the first jump, she gave a sharp pull at Rio, forcing him to listen to her.
The first was good. It was still up.
One stride to the next. Do not drop your hand. Good. That one was still up.
Two strides to the final one. The oxer. That bastard oxer that she knocked down 10 years ago.
She felt him pull as he landed after the second. But she would not make the same mistake again.
"Wait."
Her voice rang out into the silent arena and, along with another pull at the reins, Rio dropped down. He waited.
And because he waited the second stride was perfect. And there was no sound of poles dropping as they rode away from it. Good.
And now for the final jump.
It had to stay up. It had to.
♔♕
"And now for the final fence. She is good for time. It just needs to stay upright.
Well I don't mind admitting it, I am nervous, as I think is everyone in the crowd or watching at home.
This needs to stay upright.
And it has! She is clear! That is it, Great Britain have the GOLD!"
♔♕
It was the crowd that told her.
That told her the fence was still up. That they were inside the time. That she had no penalties.
Which therefore meant they must have won. The team had the gold.
It was like instinct the way her hand shot up through the air, punching it with all the might she had.
And then that hand dropped to her face as the disbelief washed through her.
They had a gold medal. She had got team GB their first eventing gold medal in 40 years. She had.
The person who numerous people had said she had no talent to. They had said she was only doing well because of who she was. Because she was the Queen's granddaughter. Who said that Rio was an easy horse to ride. That he was doing all the work and she just sat there.
They had all said that about her. And yet she just got Team GB a gold medal at the Olympics.
Her hand was still on her face as Rio galloped round the arena, revelling in the constant cheer from the crowd. Dropping it once again, she gave him a huge pat, leaning over onto his neck so she could tell him how amazing he was.
And then, with one final grin up to the sky where she knew her most active fan was watching down on her, Bella galloped out of the arena, now a gold medalist.
♔♕
"The gold medalists and Olympic champions, representing Great Britain!"
A roar encompassed them as they stepped onto the podium, hands waving at the crowd who were cheering them with such unbridled joy.
As her aunt moved in front of her, Bella mimicked Zara who was stood next to her by leaning down and giving Anne a kiss on each cheek.
"So, so well done... I'm very proud of both of you." Anne whispered to her as she placed the gold medal around Bella's neck.
"Her Royal Highness Princess Isabella, Antarctic Emperor."
With a hand on her gold medal, Bella stepped forward to wave at the crowd as her name was announced.
Stepping back, she turned as Zara grabbed her arm, the cheers still going as the other medals were handed out. "Bella look," her cousin whispered to her, her voice cracking slightly as she spoke, "I think that's granny."
Her head immediately moved to where Zara was pointing, and sure enough, there was her grandmother stood at the entrance to the arena, standing just far back enough so that the crowd couldn't quite see her.
There was her grandmother who wasn't supposed to be there. It had been deemed too much of a security risk and they hadn't wanted her presence to take any attention off the riders. But they had won gold. Two of her granddaughters had won gold medals. So there she was.
When she had been congratulated by the rest of her family before, Bella had already been crying at the fact she had won. But now, fully recovered and knowing that her grandmother, who had done so much for her, was there, the tears started again.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding for the national anthem of Great Britain."
And it was then, as Bella sang God Save The Queen and watched as the flag was raised, she knew she had done well.
She had done very well indeed.
♔♕
𝗔/𝗡: 𝗶 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 ❤️
𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁!