Ryan represented Ireland at the Senior European Championships in Windsor in 2009 and was a regular in team competitions, with his most recent Nations Cup appearance dating back to June 2024. Last year, he also competed in several legs of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup, riding horses such as Connoisseur PWR and Jezebeau BC.

His decision to switch to Sweden does not come as a surprise. Ryan is married to Swedish rider Erica Swartz Ryan and has been based in Sweden since 2019. He previously explained that the move feels like a natural step for him. According to Ryan, the idea had been on his mind for some time, and he sees it as the best way to commit even more strongly to Swedish show jumping. He points out that his life and work have been centred in Sweden for years and that he has not lived in Ireland for more than twenty years. The situation of his horse owners also played a role: Ryan stresses that this switch makes things simpler for them, which he considers important within their partnership.

However, due to his participation in the Nations Cup at the CSIO3* in Drammen in June 2024, a waiting period applies. Ryan will only be eligible to compete in Nations Cups again from June 2026, as a mandatory two-year “latency period” takes effect after a change of sporting nationality.

Even so, his arrival is already being seen as a positive boost for the Swedish team, which has looked more vulnerable in recent seasons. National coach Henrik Ankarcrona has welcomed the news and is looking forward to the further development of Ryan and his horses. He describes Ryan as a rider with the profile to be competitive at championships and emphasises that Sweden can use additional combinations capable of climbing the world rankings. According to Ankarcrona, the switch has been discussed for some time, and the team is pleased that the process has now been officially completed.