Jill Irving's Arthur Takes his Professorship Seriously, Young Rider Schoolmaster

Dressage

Canada

Jill Irving's internationally competed Grand Prix horse Arthur is turning 21 this spring and is taking his role as professor seriously. After his illustrious career with Irving representing Canada, the gelding is now showing the ropes to a second young rider.

Arthur is a 2005 born Dutch warmblood gelding by Jazz out of Olympia W (by Contango x Amor). His bred by the late Huub van Helvoirt.

Chantal Van Lanen

The bay gelding was first competed in The Netherlands up to medium tour level by Dutch Chantal van Lanen. In December 2014 the gelding sold to Irving as her rising Grand Prix hope.

Based in Moncton, New Brunswick, and trained by Ashley Holzer, Irving had been competing Ashley's former Canadian team horse Pop Art and her own Degas (by De Niro x Regazzoni) at Grand Prix level at the time.

Holzer and Irving

Holzer first established the Grand Prix buttons on Arthur and made her international show debut on the gelding at the 2016 CDI Wellington and rode him at the CDI's in Tryon and Ottawa that year.

As of 2017 Irving campaigned the gelding, first in Wellington and that year in Achleiten, Fritzens and Cappeln for their summer in Europe. In 2018 Irving tried for a Canadian team spot for the World Equestrian Games in Tryon and showed him at the Global Dressage Festival but she represented Canada with Degas.

Irving and Arthur continued to be an active pair at North American internationals from 2019 through 2022, their last show being the 4* in Wellington at the end of March.

Under 25 Schoolmaster

In January 2023 Arthur moved on as an Under 25 schoolmaster for Canadian Brooke Mancusi.

The new debuted in an inter II class with 68.014% at the CDN Wellington at Flobal and did their first international in the U24 at the CDIO Wellington at the end of February 2023. They went to the 2023 North American Under 25 Championships where they won the Inter II and werfe 5th in the short Grand Prix and fourth in the freestyle. They finished the year at the CDI Bromont for a double win.

Arthur did not compete in 2024 and almost had a two-year break from showing.

Showing the Ropes

Arthur has now moved on with a new rider he's showing the ropes: Canadian Jenica Liptay.

The pair has an interrupted competition start. They were originally entered for the July national show at Princess Louise Park in Sussex, NB, but did not compete. Their debut show ride was in Wellington on 19 - 21 December 2025, where they rode in a test of choice and young rider team test.

This weekend, the duo gained more mileage at fourth level in the national classes held during the CDI West Palm Beach at the Jim Brandon equestrian center. They scored 65.526% in the fourth level test one. On Sunday they won another Fourth level test one with 68.552%.

From Hunters to Dressage

Jenica Liptay has been competing nationally in Canada since 2017 in hunter and jumper classes.

With Liptay at the 2026 CDN West Palm Beach

She first showed in hunter classes with Morgan horse Barrel of Fun (by Amadeus Mozart ARA LI). In 2019 pinto mare Almost Irish (by Bantry Bays Aengus) joined her string. In 2021 she moved on to jumper speed classes with grey Canadian bred Dutch warmblood O.M.G. (by Beyond Reach), while in 2022 she was back to Hunter classes with Mercedes CS (by DMF Blue Ferrari) and Carnegie CS (by Chaccos Rubin DSF). In 2024 hunters Macgyver (by ) and Theodore GW joined the club.

Arthur is the first horse that Liptay has shown in dressage in her career.

"Jenica came to work for me about two years ago and is an outstanding groom and excellent at managing all the horse I have," Jill Irving told Eurodressage. "God bless Arthur. He’s 21 and is ridden very lightly. I’m just thrilled that he’s able to give such a wonderful girl an opportunity to learn our sport! It make me happy to see him giving it back in the highlight of his career. He’s Jenica’s “baby” so he’s getting lots of love an attention!"