Dennis Cherry's latest enterprise may come as a surprise to those who know him as one of Bermuda's leading equestrians who twice qualified for the Olympics.

But there is a close link, for the classic, hand-crafted garden furniture that he is producing in his East Broadway workshop once helped to support his long years of training in the UK.

"I had this idea of making and selling wooden chairs to help pay my way while I was over there. I got the original design of a traditional Bermuda chair from Hughie Watlington, Sr., and adapted it a bit. I thought if I called it `The Bermuda Chair' it would attract more customers. Well, in a way it did, but most people who rang me up wanted to tell me all about their holidays in Bermuda! I guess it did help to sell a few, though.'' Now, he is hoping that his classic, wooden lawn chairs will appeal to a Bermudian public that is increasingly environment-conscious and generally, in a `back to nature' mood.

As he leans over his work bench to mark off another set of measurements on a piece of sweet-smelling pine, he says: "I think everyone loves the old Bermuda chairs, but they're not always easy to obtain these days.'' He is hoping to change that and has opened his business, Dennis Cherry Handcrafted Wood Products, which provides an entire line of hand-made products.

Besides the chairs, Mr. Cherry makes love-seats, benches, garden and coffee tables, trunks and blanket boxes. The latter, he points out, can easily be adapted to "a first class horse tack box''.

He handpicks the best quality wood, using Virginia cedar, Iroco -- a long-lasting hardwood from Africa and pine from Finland. "The wood is shipped from the UK as timber but when it arrives in Bermuda, it has become lumber,'' he says laughingly.

All of the furniture can be stained or painted any colour.

For Dennis Cherry, the decision to give up his dream of representing Bermuda in the Olympic equestrian events was a difficult one. But one poor season (after ten years of total dedication in three separate countries) meant that he would not, after all, qualify for the Barcelona Games.

"I have had so much support from my family and the community and I am very grateful to them for that. But after the Olympics fell through, I had to get real. The strain of trying to train every day as well as work for such a long time has been a great drain, financially and emotionally.'' Mr. Cherry left Warwick Academy and went to train in Canada for more than three years before going to the United States for a further three years and finally to Wiltshire in England for four years. After this, he realised that he was at a cross-roads in his life.

"I had to face the fact that only a tiny percentage of really good riders make it to the very top and the majority of those who do have corporate sponsorship. When I came back here, I didn't really intend on staying. I'd reached the point where I considered England my home. But people seemed quite interested in the fact that I had been making furniture in England, and there seems to be a market for it here, so I've decided to give it a shot,'' he says.

Not that he has entirely abandoned the world of horses. He is now helping the Bermuda Equestrian Association in their aim to qualify for next year's world championships.

Mr. Cherry, who has been in business here for just four months, is already branching out. He has just rebuilt a cedar slat-house and feels this is another potential business avenue in Bermuda's market. Again, he is emphasising the fact that, until fairly recently, no self-respecting Bermuda garden would be without its slat house -- the perfect setting for orchids and other exotic blooms.

In the short time he has been producing his furniture, it has been snapped up by Aberfeldy Nurseries, Great Things and Waterproofing Supply Company. Mr.

Cherry says he does not make `stock' pieces in Bermuda cedar but would be happy to do so on request. He also makes furniture to customers' specifications and design.

BERMUDA-CRAFT -- Mr. Dennis Cherry with some of his tradtionally styled, hand-made wooden Bermuda chairs.

SLAT HOUSE -- Mr. Dennis Cherry completely rebuilt this old Bermuda slat house, which is an integral part of serious Island gardener's lot. Although this refurbishing job was done in cedar, Mr. Cherry also uses less expensive woods to suit a client's needs. He does custom woodworking on special projects on request.