Pond swimming, fears of riding the wrong way and emotional retirements - the Royals on Gatcombe

• Watch the full interview with Captain Mark Phillips, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall

In 1983, the gates of Princess Anne's Gloucestershire home were opened for the best of British riders to compete at Gatcombe Park for the first time.

In the four decades since, the Festival of British Eventing has become a staple of the eventing calendar and it remains a family-run event.

Ahead of the 40th anniversary of the festival this weekend, ITV News West Country presenter Sabet Choudhury visited Captain Mark Phillips and his children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall at Gatcombe to find out more about what it means to them.

Captain Mark said he wasn’t thinking 40 years ahead when he set up the event alongside Princess Anne.

He said they wanted to “put something back” into the sport that they had both enjoyed.

“We had the advantage of Colonel Frank Weldon, who was the Director at Badminton," he said. "He came over and told what we could do and should do and shouldn't do.

“That's how it all started but it was a very different affair to what it is now.”

He admitted he didn't really know what he was doing in those early years of the competition. "We put some big fences out and people came and rode and we had to jump them," he said.

"Now we have ground lines and sloping profiles and frangible fences and all things safety - and we keep continuing to try to make the sport safer."

For Peter and Zara, the event has been a constant in their lives.

“I don't remember a summer without the horse trials growing up," Peter said. Now, he's taken over as the event's director.

For Zara, Gatcombe has had a huge impact on her as a rider.

"The top riders came and rode here," she said. "They were always walking the course.

"As a horse person, I always try to get involved in the chats that my father is having with them."

She describes it as "unique" place to ride, with the "tough track" always producing a great competition.

But while some might think competing on home ground might give Zara an advantage, she was quick to point out the reality is "the complete opposite".

"I really don't like competing at home," she said. "I have massive fear I'm going to go the wrong way.

"Obviously I know the courses and kind of where it goes and I'm like 'oh my god I'm going to go the wrong way and then I am going to look really stupid'."

Zara's horses are used to training at Gatcombe, but that provided unique challenges for them.

Captain Mark said: "Zara might come and ride or train over here. Not over the fences because they don't live outside, but on the hills and things.

"So the horses are used to it but then on the competition day 'what’s going on?' - they think they are at home but suddenly there are thousands of people and it sort of half freaks the horses out because it's so different from what they're used to."

While they are now watching their own children make memories at Gatcombe, it will always be a place filled with childhood memories for Peter and Zara.

Peter recalled being a member of the 'Menial Task Division' - a task force set up by the Royals to keep the children entertained.

"We were worked very hard, but we had a lot of fun," Peter said.

"The water jump was frequently filled with algae and weed and so before the event started the younger ones amongst us were sent in in our swimming trunks to go and weed the pond, weed the water jump."

Peter added: “I think we have pretty much done every job under the sun for the for the festival - it's always been a major part of our lives here."

It's easy to see Peter and Zara both have fantastic memories of growing up in Gloucestershire.

Peter said: “We are hugely fortunate to be able to grow up in a place like this... the festival weekend is one of the opportunities to be able to share this beautiful place with lots of people who are coming to watch a fantastic sport."

Zara added: "It was a great place to grow up around horses, looking after animals - the respect and partnership that you have to build with the animals, it teaches you so much you know growing up and as a kid.

"It really is an amazing life starting to be outside as well you know all the time."

For Zara, Gatcombe also provided the setting of an emotional ending when she retired her horse Toytown there in 2011.

Zara began her career with Toytown and they went on to compete together at the highest level of the sport.

"I think it was kind of the right place to do it," she said. "It was really sad.

"When you have started your career with a horse like that and gone through the levels with each other - and got to the top and been able to win some championships and kind of fulfil your dreams together.

"The worst part is sort of riding them in and then having to lead them out, taking their tack off and leading them out in hand makes it really emotional and really final but you know it was amazing to do it here."

But Toytown's retirement did not mark an ending for Zara herself and she is, of course, set to compete at Gatcombe again this year.

"I don't know why," she said. "Every year I say to myself 'no I'm not going to do that again'."

For Peter, who is now the director of the event, he said he feels the a weight of responsibility in being able to continue the festival.

"Costs have gone up 35% in the past five years," he said. "Can we keep putting the prices up on the gate? Not really because we want people to be able to come and enjoy it.

"With post-Covid, cost living crisis, this that and the other - you still want to be able to make it an affordable day out for a family."

It means strict budgets are in place - which is perhaps easier for some than others.

"The problem is on the cross country I used to have my own budget - now I've got to work to his budget," Captain Mark said.

When asked if that's hard, Peter was quick to respond a short but simple "yes".

• The Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing will return to Gatcombe Park from 4-6 August.