WORCESTERSHIRE'S Leslie Law and Erica Watson will be taking on the world's finest event riders in the British Open Championships this weekend -- highlight of the Doubleprint Festival of Brit-ish Eventing at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire.

The event is celebrating it's 21st birthday although the Festival -- a concept that brings together the British Open, Intermediate and Novice Championships -- only began last year.

It has created a competition that is considered a vitally important showcase for the world of eventing, a sport that combines dressage, show jumping and cross-country and where British riders rank among the best in the world.

Both Law, from Inkberrow, and Broadway's Watson will be in Sunday's British Open, worth £5,000 to the winner.

Olympic team silver medallist and European team gold medallist Law has a strong hand, with six horses at the event. They include his Sydney Olympic partner Shear H2O, who recently won an advanced one-day event section at Aston-Le-Walls in Northants, in the British Open, for which he has also entered Matt Butler and Shear L'Eau.

"I've finished in the top six there in the past and Gatcombe is a brilliant event," said Law. "The hilly terrain makes the cross-country a stiff track -- hopefully we've had sufficient rain this year to make the going good."

Shear L'Eau won the CIC World Cup qualifier at Lulworth Castle in Dorset recently and has been chosen by Law as his ride for this autumn's European Three-Day Event Championships.

"We'll see how Gatcombe unfolds, but for Shear L'Eau the Europeans will be his main aim," Law added. "I also have two of my new rides this season -- Fox on the Run and VA Fox -- in the advanced sections, along with Another Garrison."

Watson will be competing in all three championships and has been in great form recently, despite having given birth to her daughter Isabella just four months ago.

She will ride the ten-year-old Serving Time in the British Open.

"I like Gatcombe and look forward to riding there, but it's a stiff course," said Watson. "I won a advanced section there on Last of the Incas back in 1997."

Watson will again be competing in the advanced sections on Flo's Beau, who was third in the Sansaw Park CIC in Shropshire this season. She also has the ride back on Tango Romeo, for the British Intermediate Championship.

"I actually sold Tango Romeo last year at Gatcombe but I've got the ride back for the event this year," she added. "The horse competed in his first advanced section at Aston-le-Walls, where he jumped a double clear to finish 11th with me."

Watson's entry is completed by the six-year-old bay Modern Jazz, who has qualified for the British Novice Championship.