Team Irwin
Tina Irwin
Tina was born in Hagen, Germany as the daughter of Ute Busse, a Canadian Grand Prix rider. Tina moved to Canada after her first birthday. Tina became a Canadian citizen when she was 16 to ride for Canada on the Young Riders’ team. Competing many horses in your youth up to Grand Prix, Tina and her mount ‘Amicellie’ were listed for the Canadian Team for many years and their accomplishments include winning the CDI at Blainville Grand Prix and Freestyle in 2008, and riding in the World Dressage Masters in Wellington, Florida in 2009.
After the birth of her first child in 2011, Amicelli was sold and Tina acquired a young horse named Laurencio (a 2007 Oldenburg gelding by Laurentio x Donnerhall) and a year later a mare named ‘Fancy That’ (a 2006 Oldenburg mare by Freiherr x Donnerschwee). Also in 2011 Tina represented Canada at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico and helped the Canadian team win Silver and Tina placed fifth individually.
Tina and ‘Fancy That’ have won many small tour classes Nationally and Internationally and declared for the 2015 Pan American Games, as well as being part of the Canadian Bronze Medal Nations Cup Team the same year. She has made the jump to the Intermediare 2 level with over 72% and shows an outstanding talent for the Grand Prix. Laurencio and Tina had a stellar year in 2016 winning 9 consecutive classes at the small tour level Internationally and 3 more classes nationally, including all three classes at Dressage at Devon. They continued on in Wellington, Florida in 2017 where they hold the current World Record score for the Intermediare Freestyle of 78.7%! The Irwin’s were both key members of the Canadian Nations Cup Gold Medal winning Team. This is the first time in history that Canada has won a Gold Medal as a Team at the Nations Cup and also the first time that a husband/wife duo on the team together! Tina and Laurencio also went on to win the Individual Gold Medal at the Nations Cup. In the Spring of 2017, Equestrian Canada named Laurencio the Horse of the Year for 2016.
Future goals include the World Equestrian Games, Olympics, and World Cup. With these two talented horses on the verge of Grand Prix, the future is very bright.
Jaimey Irwin
Jaimey was born in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada and grew up on his families resort ‘The Irwin Inn’. He began riding at the young age of 6 and competed in many disciplines before focusing on dressage at the age of 16.
Jaimey competed very successfully at the Young Rider level on a mare named Picarda. In 1999 at the NAJYRC Jaimey and Picarda placed fourth individually just missing out on the Bronze Medal. Shortly after his Young Rider years, Jaimey went on to train in Germany with Holger Muenstermann, with whom he continued to train for 15 years. While in Germany, Jaimey found a flashy chestnut gelding by the name of Waldano that he brought back to Canada with him. Waldano and Jaimey were short and longlisted for the Canadian Team for many years winning many titles at the small tour level, including the Silver Medal at the Can-Am Challenge at Dressage at Devon. Jaimey then sold Waldano to an American girl and he returned to Europe, but this time to take a job as the head trainer of a stable in Luzern, Switzerland.
He continued on his training career in Europe by returning back to Germany and becoming Holger Muenstermann’s head rider. After his return from Germany, Jaimey competed the Dutch Stallion, Jacardo at the small tour level and Grand Prix, where he was again listed for the Canadian Team. Over the years Jaimey competed many horses up the levels winning many Championships. When Tina became pregnant, Jaimey took over the ride of Tina’s mount, Winston and qualified with him to be a contender for the Pan American Games in 2011. However once Tina had recovered, she took over the ride on Winston to qualify for the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico as well, and it was decided that Tina would have the ride. Jaimey played a huge role in coaching Tina and her fellow teammate Roberta Morris to the Pan Am Team Silver Medal.
In 2013, Lindor’s Finest was given to Jaimey to ride by his mother in law, Ute Busse and Sally Carlton. Lindor and Jaimey qualified for the FEI Reem Acra World Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden and made their debut overseas representing North America. Lindor and Jaimey had many excellent results at the Grand Prix level throughout North America, including Wellington, Florida.
Jaimey’s most recent star in the stable is Donegal V who was purchased by a syndicate for Jaimey to ride as a three-year-old from Holland. In 2016 Donegal made his International small tour debut and received many top placings with over 70%. In 2017, he won International classes in Wellington, Florida and was a member of Canada’s Gold Medal winning Nations Cup Team.The pair also won the Individual Silver Medal right behind his wife, Tina, and Laurencio. This was the first time in history that Canada had won the Nations Cup in dressage. Donegal will soon be making his Grand Prix debut! Future goals include World Equestrian Games, Olympics, and World Cup. Jaimey teaches many clinics throughout the year throughout North American and Barbados.
Tina and Jaimey are currently in Wellington Florida having a very successful season!
“Today we feature our longtime supporters and friends, Schleese Saddlery. Schleese has the best saddles on the market and only the best will do for our horses! Jochen and his team are always working together with many top riders, trainers and vets to produce saddles that are pain-free for horse and rider and offer many different styles and models. We love our saddles and our horses do too!
Thank you so much to Jochen, Sabine and the entire Schleese Team for being such a huge part of our team!”
Articles:
2018 Grand Prix Profiles – Jaimey and Tina Irwin
Tina Irwin and Laurencio in AFDF 2018 REI Nation Cup