the Bermuda Classic Show Jumping Competition.

Taking on three top international riders in the jump-off to the final event, the Somers Mortgage and Finance Grand Prix, the 22-year-old Bermudian's mount Malajka caught the last fence and condemned him to third place.

It meant a second winning finish to a jump-off by Olympic gold medallist Joe Fargis from the United States on the 15-year-old gelding, Artist.

On Saturday, Fargis led his team, including Rochester, to victory in the Bermuda Commercial Bank Team Cup, with a stylish race against the clock to outspeed Brazil's Andre Johannpeter on Napoleon. Fargis, Rochester and Neil Cattell, on Shanhill's Virginian, had prepared a firm foundation with three clear rounds.

In yesterday's top event, the Grand Prix, Fargis, Rochester, Johannpeter and Canadian Mac Cone were tied with clear rounds each. The high winds had played havoc with other competitors at the Botanical Gardens, forcing three dismounts and a number of refusals.

Rochester started with Malajka clearing everything at great speed, but they met disaster at the last fence, the Bermuda Classic.

He said: "I had to gamble a little because I went first. I thought I could get around the last turn and I had noticed that the top of the last fence was a little stiff so I thought we could afford to touch it. I went for it and it went down.'' His time of 32.57 seconds was nearly one-and-a-half seconds faster than Fargis and Artist, who grabbed the only clear round of the jump-off. But it was nail-biting stuff as Cone set a cracking pace, as the last rider, before hitting one of the later fences. Cone eventually ended up with seven faults after a refusal added to his misery.

A winner of individual and team golds at the Los Angeles Olympics, Fargis was delighted with his weekend's efforts. He said: "I think I rode pretty well but I had a wonderful horse. He knew his job.'' Rochester, who has been riding since the age of 10, paid tribute to the recent coaching of Norman Della Joio, another invited guest at the tournament. He said: "He has helped me a lot to compete with this top quality competition.'' Tiffany Heslop won the Pony Jumping and `Power and Speed' classes and also took first in the `Pairs Fault and Out' with her father Patrick Heslop, who was the top local points scorer.

Andre Johannpeter was the top international points scorer and won the `Hit and Hurry' class. American Margie Goldstein won the Top Score class on Quelus Des Pres.

Neither Fargis nor Rochester was bothered by the high winds at the weekend, which obviously unsettled some of the horses. Fargis said: "Once you start to gallop it does not affect you.'' The winds were mixed with a good deal of sunshine, which attracted a fairly large crowd yesterday.

Show director Patricia Haycock is now hoping to bring more internationals for an event next year. The previous show was in 1990.

Haycock said: "I think it was a really good event with some great competition and good crowds.'' Over the weekend more than $20,000 in cash prizes were shared between the winners of the seven classes.

DALE ROCHESTER -- Turned in an impressive performance aboard Malajka.

CHAMPIONS -- Joe Fargis and Artist.