By Clare Balding BBC Equestrian presenter

Great Britain enter the European Eventing Championships chasing a record seventh consecutive win in the team event.

Zara Phillips rides Toytown at the European Eventing Championships

France are the current Olympic Champions and Germany are the World Champions yet we have held the European title since 1995.

The fact that we have been so successful is the most incredible reflection of our ability to bond together as a team.

Despite personnel changing over the years they have always managed to select the strongest possible team and this year is no different with the likes of Zara Phillips, Daisy Dick and Mary King.

Another huge factor is team manager Yogi Breisner, who is arguably one of the greatest national coaches in the world.

He has consistently been up there with the best.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS Saturday BBCi and BBC Sport website, 0940-1500 BBC ONE and BBC Sport website, 1300-1630 Sunday BBCi and BBC Sport website, 0940-1215 and 1340-1615 BBC TWO and BBC Sport website, 1610-1730

They don't fail very often and they haven't got the same depth of talent to pick from as football, which is played in every school in the country, whereas eventing is still relatively exclusive as it is expensive.

The main priority has always been the team and Yogi has always said that.

William Fox-Pitt said he did not want to be considered unless he was on the team and he didn't want to compete as an individual.

It was the team or nothing for him and that's a great attitude to have amongst your riders.

Winning this year in Italy is going to be hard as the Germans are very strong, but if they all perform to their capabilities they have got a great chance.

The bigger the cross country course the better the chance we have if it is down to dressage then the Germans will win.

Although our dressage has got a lot better we still aren't up to their standards yet.

The Great British summer hasn't helped our riders as it has been so difficult for them with the changeable conditions.

We will have horses that are fresher than some other nations as they haven't had as gruelling a year, but that can work with you or against you.

She is a wonderfully natural rider and has worked very hard on her dressage with her step-mother Sandy Phillips Clare Balding

Zara Phillips has suffered as a result of the dry, then wet summer, but as we have seen she copes with pressure so well that she won't let it affect her.

She brings such headlines to the sport and the kind of profile she has is unlike anyone else's. She copes with it all so well.

Her getting all the press takes the pressure off the other riders so they can just get on with their business in a relatively low-key way.

She will again be on Toytown who is an immensely talented horse, but he throws a right strop at times.

At Gatcombe earlier in the year he went complete bonkers and started rearing.

Zara is often not given the credit for her ability to ride him. People think that he must be the best horse in the world but he isn't.

She is a wonderfully natural rider and has worked very hard on her dressage with her step-mother Sandy Phillips.

Her father, who coaches the American team, will be in Italy this weekend to help her as well and that's a real plus.

And her boyfriend, England rugby union international Mike Tindall, is a very calming influence as he has the experience of top level competition, so she really surrounds herself with the right people.

Michael Tucker is technical delegate for the European Championships so this is my first time commentating on a sport instead of presenting it and it's amazing how much more knowledge you need when you are behind the mic.

I've been nervous about doing it since, well, about May! I'm not taking it lightly as I'm terrified!

And to make things worse, Zara has said her Granny will be watching on TV.

No pressure for me then!

As well as the BBC One and Two coverage, once again we will have lots of live interactive action, via the red button so tune in!

Saturday 15 September
0940-1500, BBCi and BBC Sport website
1300-1630, BBC One and BBC Sport website

Sunday 16 September
0940-1215 and 1340-1615, BBCi and BBC Sport website
1610-1730, BBC Two and BBC Sport website

Clare Balding was talking to Paul Birch