BERMUDA'S top young showjumpers will be in action this weekend in the Caribbean Junior Jumping Competition at Vesey Street.

Bermuda will be competing against riders from Jamaica and Antigua in the competition which also consists of riders from Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados and the Cayman Islands.

The competition has been running since 1988 with Bermuda only winning it outright once two years ago.

The competition takes place on loaned horses at each island venue and this year Bermuda team comprises Anna Franklin and Catherine Jones in the 16 and Under competition, and Stephanie Kempe in the 12 and Under class. Jones has represented Bermuda before in Barbados in the 12 and Under competition. This is Franklin's first time representing Bermuda. Both Jones and Franklin compete throughout the year in the Hunter & Jumper classes in Bermuda while Kemp has competed twice before in this particular competition ? once here in Bermuda and once in the Cayman Islands.

From Antigua there is 13-year old Florence Saddler, who has been riding since the age of five. She has competed in the CEA, competing twice before, and has also competed in Guadalupe. The other Under 16 Antiguan team member is 14-year old Roxane Oreja who started riding when she was four and has competed in the CEA competition once before.

Antigua's representative in the Under 12 Category is Anja Edwards Sealy who has only been riding since 2002 and entered her first CEA competition at home in July 2005, and has represented her country once overseas. Coach of the team is Pia Goransson. The Antiguan team is being sponsored by Spring Garden Restaurant.

Travelling from Jamaica to compete is Brittany Cooper who is 15 years old and who has competed in FEI Jumping & Dressage. She has represented Jamaica at home as well as Trinidad, Barbados, and Bermuda. Cooper looks to be the most experienced of the CEA competitors this year.

Justin Vaz is the other Jamaican team member on the Under 16 team and is 13 years old. Vaz won the FEI Children's Jumping in 2005 and FEI Children's Dressage which he won in 2004. He later represented Jamaica in Germany in the finals in 2005. He has also ridden for Jamaica in Columbia and Costa Rica.

The Under 12 Competitor for Jamaica is Steven McDonald. Again this year, coach for Team Jamaica is Betty Wates who has been coming to Bermuda for a number of years and is fondly know by all as "Momma Wates". She is also the President of the Caribbean Jumping Competition.

Sousa's Landscape Management Co. Ltd. are the team sponsors for Team Jamaica.

The Bermuda Equestrian Federation hopes that as many Bermudians as possible come out to support their team and they are encouraging Jamaicans and Antiguans living in Bermuda to come out and show their support.

Just recently at the Annual Exhibition, Bermudians were thrilled with the jumping that took place. This year for the first time in the CEA competition, there will be some of the higher jumping classes and some of Bermuda's top riders will be competing. Coach of the Bermuda Team, Catrina Sims, will compete on her mount Gucci. Sims has competed in Canada and the United States a number of times. Also competing are Abby Bardgett riding Hello Harry, and Nick DeCosta riding both his mounts Bajan Blue and Touch the Sky. DeCosta also has a number of years experience competing in both Canada and the United States. Former CEA competitor and student of all three coaches mentioned above, is Lindsay Sousa riding her mount Croft Little Doll. Sousa has also competed several times in Canada. Last but certainly not least, is Rayman Butterfield who will also be jumping Croft Little Doll during the competition. Butterfield has competed in Canada on numerous occasions and has represented Bermuda twice in the North American Young Riders Competition.

Admission is free at the National Equestrian Centre and refreshments will be on sale. The refreshment stand is being run by Pembroke Hamilton Club's (PHC) Little Girls Soccer Team as a fundraiser for their summer trip to Manchester United Soccer School, Manchester, UK.

Title Sponsor for the competition is Montpelier Re.