THE Irish Field/Irish Horse World and Gain Equine Nutrition 2020 awards lunch fell victim to the pandemic with the winners being presented with their awards individually at home.

The Gain Star of the Month awards were presented in March when the overall winner for the previous year was announced as Co Kilkenny’s Jack Ryan who had topped the polls in both February and August.

The Irish Horse World awards presentation was also held virtually in July when Ryan, who rides for Shane Breen in Hickstead, was announced as the junior show jumper of the year while the senior title went, for the first time, to Denis Lynch.

The senior event rider award was presented to Cathal Daniels, a multiple winner since his pony days, while Godrey Gibbons was the recipient of the junior event rider award.

Kate Dwyer, who welcomed her first child in 2021, was presented with the dressage rider of the year award.