BERMUDA'S top dressage riders will take on teams from Antigua, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic next weekend when the FEI World Dressage Challenge is staged at the National Equestrian Centre at Vesey Street.

This will be the 22nd annual event and the competition consists of three levels - Novice, Advanced and Prix St. Georges with an additional division, the Children's Competition. Those riders are between the ages of 12 and 14.

Bermuda hopes to have a strong group of riders with Paula George and Beach Boy competing in the Prix St. Georges, Alison Dyer-Fagundo and Desiree along with Virginia McKey riding Invincible competing in Test A. Both these riders have had a strong season competing at local events at this level.

In Test B, Michelle Ingham and Shiraz hope to repeat winning this level but will face stiff competition against Daniella DeSilva and Felipe - the 2001 Children's Competition winners - and Christina Gibbons and Welcome Shadow - the 2002 Children's Competition winners.

Performance Sales International (P.S.I.) are sponsors of the FEI World Dressage Challenge. Michelle Ingham from the Bermuda dressage Group said: "This project seeks to promote and expand horse-riding skills in developing countries throughout the world. In addition, it enables people, all over the world, to enjoy equestrian culture. In 2001 43 countries in total participated in this event with 2002 seeing an increase to 48, a strong indication of the popularity and success of this development project.

"To help achieve the objectives of this worldwide dressage competition, the international judges offer, as part of the competition, clinics to all competitors with the aim being to improve the way of going and education of the riders and horses participating. The objective of this endeavor is to give the less experienced dressage riders, who under normal circumstances cannot take part in international dressage competitions, in the more remote countries of the world, the opportunity to compete internationally without having to leave their own country."

The judges for this year's competition are Peter Engel and Isobel Wessels from Germany.