EUROPEAN winning team pony jumper Niamh McEvoy was among the guests at the Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards in Belfast, held at the Crowne Plaza on Monday night.

Niamh, who is from Omagh, was accompanied by her father, Richard, and they were welcomed to the prestigious event by the paper’s sports editor Jim Gracey.

Both Niamh and her team member John McEntee, Banbridge, received nominations in the the Young Team section from hundreds of entries for their show jumping achievements. John could not attend the event as sadly, his grandmother, Mrs Rita Keenan, died the previous Friday and her funeral took place in Dromore.

Mrs Keenan was a noted horsewoman, being the mother-in-law of Alo McEntee and the mother of Louise and Catherine Keenan. Catherine was a groom for Dessie Gibson in years past and her mother also helped at Dublin Horse Show with the show horses. Catherine works for successful racehorse trainer and hunting enthusiast Andy Oliver.