AYAR Equestrian Sales Team
The AYAR Equestrian Sales Team is led by founders Arturo Rubio and Alexandra Duncan, alongside elite riders Ava Norton, Vana Jovic, and Jessica Nilles. Together, the internationally experienced team trainers campaigns and develops exceptional horses across the hunter, jumper, and dressage divisions, offering buyers and breeders direct access to top-tier equestrian expertise.
Arturo Rubio
Founder, Owner & Operational Manager
As the owner and founder of AYAR Equestrian Sales, Arturo Rubio brings a versatile, industry-wide perspective built on a diverse background in the equestrian world.
- Industry Expertise: Background spans specialized areas including equine transport, international quarantine operations, and the pony division.
- Competitive Range: Extensive experience competing across multiple disciplines, including show jumping, hunters, and dressage.
- Full-Circle Operations: Provides AYAR with a comprehensive approach to the horse business, seamlessly bridging the logistics of safe importation with elite sport horse production for the show ring.
Alexandra Duncan
Founder, Grand Prix Dressage Rider & Trainer
Alexandra Duncan is an FEI-ranked Grand Prix dressage competitor, high-performance coach, and trainer recognized for successfully developing young dressage horses and advancing them through to the Grand Prix level with proven success. As an expert high-performance program builder, she seamlessly integrates classical European dressage training with the science of movement and motion (biomechanics) to correctly harmonize connectedness between horse and rider, producing consistently competitive, high-performance horse athletes. Backed by extensive international experience and proven results, her career features competitive success at major European venues and FEI/CDI competitions, highlighted by a highly competitive Grand Prix partnership earning three top wins at Aachen, Germany, in the Developing Grand Prix division. Domestically, over the last 10 years she has competed in over 100 US dressage competitions, obtaining USDF Gold and Silver Medals. She campaigns her young horses to familiarize them with event venues and actively competes at the Grand Prix level, most recently with her KWPN-registered stallion, ‘Hitmaker,’ as a Canadian national ‘A’ Team Member.
- Early Career & Training: Captured double team and individual gold at the North American Young Riders Championships before refining her skills training alongside top coaches in Europe.
- International Team Success: Represented Canada on the official team, helping secure a prestigious bronze medal at the FEI Nations Cup.
Alex’s passion lies in teaching and working with horses and riders of all levels and particularly assisting Young Riders to become top level competitive international Dressage Riders. Riding is all about developing an intuitive relationship between horse and rider. It’s about patience, caring, understanding and giving of the rider.
Ava Norton
Hunter/Jumper Rider & Assistant Trainer
Based in top competitive venues nationwide, Ava Norton is a decorated hunter rider known for a consistent championship record across major national circuits.
- Championship Honors: Secured prestigious titles including the WEF Children’s Hunter Championship in Wellington (2023), Kentucky Split Rock Children’s Hunters (2023), Princeton Children’s Hunters (2022), Ocala Children’s Hunters (2021), and Champion Small Junior Hunter at the ESP Spring Series (2019).
- National Highlights: Earned Reserve Championships at Lake Placid (2022) and the ESP Spring Series (2024), alongside a top-10 finish at the Kentucky National Horse Show (2022).
- Performance Record: Combines extensive top-venue experience with proven consistency across both junior and open hunter divisions nationwide.
Vana Jovic
Dressage Rider & Trainer
Ridden internationally across Europe, the United States, and Canada, Vana Jovic brings extensive experience in competitive dressage, horse production, and elite equestrian programs.
- Competition & Training: Specialized expertise in campaigning horses across young horse classes up to upper-level divisions.
- Program Management: Proven background directing professional sales programs, managing breeding farms, and handling specialized stallion preparation.
- Industry Experience: Combines high-performance riding with hands-on involvement in horse auctions and comprehensive development systems.
Jessica Nilles
Dressage Rider & Trainer
Jessica Nilles is an FEI rider, USDF Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalist, and Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in equestrian athletes. She bridges the gap between human movement science and high-performance dressage. Competing successfully across national and regional arenas, Jessica brings a rare, dual-perspective approach to training that optimizes both rider biomechanics and equine welfare.
- Equestrian Background & Achievements: USDF Achievement: Earned Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medals through dedicated training and competition.
- Competition Record: Active competitor at national and regional FEI-level events.
- Equine Welfare: Champion of humane, biomechanically sound training methods that prioritize the physical and mental well-being of the horse.
- Training & Coaching: Jessica works with dedicated riders from true beginners taking their first steps to advanced combinations preparing for the FEI ring. Coaching emphasizes functional rider posture, clear communication, and progressive, scalable training plans tailored to every horse-and-rider team.
- Physical Therapy & Rider Performance: Combining clinical expertise with a lifetime in the saddle, Dr. Nilles provides specialized Physical Therapy designed exclusively for riders. By assessing movement patterns both in the clinic and in the saddle, therapy focuses on improving symmetry, seat stability, alignment, and core engagement to reduce pain and refine aids.