SOME of the country's top horsemen and women, including Barnard Castle's Karen Dixon, compete over three days of horse trials at Witton Castle, near Bishop Auckland, at the weekend.
Karen's fellow Olympian Ian Stark, from Scotland, is also among 450 competitors entered in the trials which raise money for St Teresa's Hospice in Darlington and the Mark Davies Injured Riders' Fund.
Dressage and show jumping start at Witton at noon on Friday and continue through Saturday and Sunday when the cross country course will also be in action. There are pre-novice, novice, intermediate, open intermediate and advanced classes.
Princess Anne was an enthusiastic spectator at last autumn's event when daughter Zara Phillips finished third in her class.
Entry to the castle grounds costs £5 per car.
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