EQUESTRIAN SPORT:AN OUT-OF-DATE passport prevented Michael Ryan from flying home yesterday to accept his award as Irish Field senior event rider for 2007.

The awards lunch was held in the Conference Room of the RDS and John Wright, chairman of Eventing Ireland, accepted Ryan's award from Siobhán English, editor of the Irish Horse World section of the Irish Field.

The rider, currently preparing his team of horses for the early season events in Portugal, had some good placings abroad in 2007 and also finished first and second in the inaugural Bluegrass Super League at home.

The senior show jumper award winner, Commandant Gerry Flynn, was also absent as he prepares to leave the country to take up his position as chief coach at the S International Equestrian Centre in Turkey. Flynn's trophy was accepted by Lieutenant Colonel Gerry O'Gorman, Commanding Officer of the Army Equitation School, who said that 2007 was a fantastic year not just for the award winner but also for his mount, the Cruising mare Mo Chroi, her breeder and the School.

Kildare's Heike Holstein, who returned from the birth of son Jake in 2006 to win her 11th national title in 17 years, was on hand to receive her award as Irish Field dressage rider for 2007. The Carbury native was just 17 when landing her first national title in 1990 and has represented Ireland at three Olympic Games.

The young show jumper of the year, Co Down's Emily Turkington, attended the lunch with her parents, Neil and Kerry, while the Irish Field young event rider of 2007, Wexford's Alex Donohue, was supported by her parents, John and Kate, and brother Ross.

Both winners were delighted to accepted trophies engraved with the names of some of the leading riders in their disciplines.