as equestrianism is concerned, but her conquest at the prestigious Young Riders Championships proved just how capable she is at reaching unlimited heights if she pursues a career in that direction.

Gaining a bronze medal at the competition in Illinois, which ended on Sunday, is an obvious highlight in the riding career of the 19-year-old Hamilton Parish resident -- an accomplishment that resulted from careful planning and a lot of hard work and total commitment. But now her involvement in the sport has to be put on hold as she resumes full concentration of her studies.

Her academic career is now a priority after she interrupted her studies for just over a year in order to concentrate on qualifying for the Young Riders Championships.

Next month she will enter McGill University in Montreal with the intention of majoring in biology and later plans to further her studies at Guelph University, also in Canada, to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.

Ingham yesterday was still celebrating her recent success which was proudly watched by her parents Stanley and Karen Ingham and Ann Dunstan, the chef d'equipe and the Bermuda Equestrian Federation's chairman of International Events.

Her father carried the Bermuda flag during the opening ceremony and said yesterday that he was "proud and still on cloud nine'' of his daughter's achievement, especially since it marked the first time that a local rider had entered the dressage in the competition.

"It was a real accomplishment for Bermuda, she made us all very proud,'' added Mrs. Dunstan.

What makes Ingham's bronze medal even more dramatic is that she pulled it off without the presence of her main coach Susanne Dutt-Roth who remained in Canada because she was about give birth.

Speaking from her residence at Rideauwood Farm, outside of Ottawa, Ingham yesterday said that the event was quite an experience.

A slight slip-up eventually cost her a silver medal when her all-out approach proved to be extremely costly and allowed an American to edge her out.

"I made the mistake in the individual championship test, it was one of those things when you risk taking that fine line between doing well or making error and that's what happened,'' said the young rider.

For Ingham to excel in a competition that involved top riders from Canada, United States, Mexico and one in the dressage competition from Sweden is considered to be quite remarkable.

It also proved that she had come a long way after being mostly involved in events like jumping and hunting and limited dressage before solely concentrating on the latter just over a year ago.

She spent two months as a working student at Rideauwood Farm in 1991 and was afterward invited back by Susanne Dutt-Roth to train for the Young Riders competition.

"It wasn't an easy decision and to be truthful my parents were a bit skeptical from the beginning because it meant taking off a year from school,'' said the graduate of Bermuda High School.

"However, they were eventually influenced to accept after talking to more people and after Kara Whitham offered her horse for me to ride.'' During her 13 months at Rideauwood, Ingham had the opportunity brush up on several techniques while riding various horses and being involved in lesser dressage competitions in both Canada and United States. But she admits going into a competition the magnitude of the Young Riders was uncomfortable for her -- at first.

"I didn't know what to expect. But I figured that if I rode my best it would be left in the hands of the judges to decide. In the end I was very pleased, I did better than expected.'' BRONZE MEDAL DUO -- Bermuda's Michelle Ingham stands proudly next to her mount Fatal Attraction after placing third at the Young Riders competition.