MICHAEL GEOGHEGAN, instrumental in Ireland's successful bid to stage the World Equestrian Games in 1998, is to leave his post as director of marketing and organisation of WEG Ireland Ltd.

Geoghegan was the acting chief executive in the build up to the bid in 1993, and he remained in that capacity when the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) awarded the world games to Ireland in March the following year.

Last October, John Donlon, a former secretary at the Department of Industry and Commerce, was brought in as chief executive, while Geoghegan took over responsibility for marketing the 1998 Games.

Geoghegan, who played an important role in the staging of the European three day event championships at Punchestown in 1991, had made full use of his Government contacts from his work in the Department of Foreign Affairs to secure Government backing for the world equestrian games bid. He declined to discuss the matter yesterday, and neither the WEG chairman, Conor Crowley, nor Donlon was available for comment.

The first World Equestrian Games were held in 1990 in Stockholm, and were followed four years later in the Hague after a French bid foundered with financial difficulties.

Ireland's bid for the 1998 fixture proposed staging the show jumping, dressage and vaulting disciplines at the RDS and the three day event, carriage driving and endurance riding at Punchestown.

Last week's shock announcement of the cancellation of this year's international three day event at Punchestown has been blamed on the £10 million refit at the racecourse, and much of the work that will be undertaken this summer is being done with the world games in mind, including a £300,000 cross country track that will include obstacles for both the three day event and the carriage driving.