Jaimey Irwin
Jaimey was born in Peterborough, Canada and grew up in Lakefield, Ontario on Stoney Lake at his family's resort, The Irwin Inn.
He began riding at the young age of 6, and his competition career began by competing at the local fairs with his first horse. He later went on to do some eventing, and hunter jumper shows. It wasn't until Jaimey was 16 years of age that he decided to commit himself fully to Dressage. Jaimey was instructed in the early days by Anne Harris and Sue Ramsey who were both very fundamental in his basic training.
Jaimey competed his event horse, Sunday Matinee in some Dressage classes and became quite successful with the Thoroughbred gelding, winning the Ontario Basic 4 Championship in 1997. He went on to become a working student for Canadian Olympian Tom Dvorak and competed at the Young Rider level very successfully with a mare named Pikarda.
Jaimey and Pikarda represented Canada at the prestigious North American Young Riders Championships in Chicago in 1999, where they just missed out on the bronze medal, finishing fourth overall. They were the highest placing Canadian combination and won the Dr. Brian Mills award the same year. Pikarda and Jaimey were long listed for the Canadian Dressage Team.
Jaimey has had extensive training in Germany with Holger Münstermann, Christilot Boylen and Udo Lange. He spent the winter of 2000 training at Holger Münstermann's facility in Werl, Germany. Jaimey purchased the talented gelding Waldano 20 from Holger and imported him to Canada in the Spring. Waldano and Jaimey won many Championships at the Advanced level, including Silver medals at the CAN AM challenge at Dressage at Devon. The duo was consistently short and long listed for the Canadian Dressage Team and had many top placings at International CDI competitions throughout Canada and the USA.
In 2001 Jaimey ventured back to Germany, yet this time to train with multiple Canadian Olympian, Christilot Boylen and her partner, Udo Lange. Jaimey spent the winter at their facility.
In 2002 he took a position as the Head rider in Luzern, Switzerland. He then returned to Holger Münstermann's stable and trained with him for almost one year.
In 2008 Jaimey was the Ontario Grand Prix Champion with Dover. He was long listed with Dover at the Grand Prix level, and White Socks at the Advanced level. Jaimey and Dover were declared for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Jaimey has brought numerous horses up to the FEI level that have competed successfully, and he continues to achieve success with many different horses on the highly competitive Florida show circuit and throughout Canada. The Irwins travel to Wellington, Florida for 3 months in the winter for exposure and competitions. The other 9 months of the year they spend in Ontario.
Jaimey also teaches many students who have achieved much success, and teaches clinics in Barbados, Vancouver BC, and throughout Ontario. Jaimey coaches both his wife Tina and her mother Ute Busse, who are both competing successfully at the Grand Prix level and are listed for 2009.
Jaimey continues to train with Holger Münstermann who travels to Canada and Florida for regular clinics with the Irwins.
Jaimey's future goals include representing Canada at the World Cup, Olympics, World Equestrian Games.