Daniel Bluman (ISR) celebrated a win in the $36,000 CSI5*-W Winning Round with longtime partner, Gemma W (Luidam), on Saturday during the second of three weeks at the Traverse City Tournament of Champions. Highlighted by Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League qualifying events, the Tournament of Champions concludes a 13-week season at Traverse City Horse Shows.
Fresh off an appearance at the Paris Olympics, Bluman entered the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring at Flintfields Horse Park as one of 39 to contest Alan Wade’s (IRL) two-round track. One of ten to return for the deciding second round, the 34-year-old bested the rest with his 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Luidam x Unaniem) owned by Blue Star Investments and Over The Top Stables. Gemma W stretch across the final timers in 32.91 seconds to top Thursday’s CSI5*-W Speed victors, Mclain Ward (USA) and First Lady.
Ward and the 11-year-old Oldenburg mare (Don Diarado x Lordanos), owned by Robin Parsky, stopped the clock at 33.49 seconds to hold on for second. Fellow U.S. rider Alise Oken piloted Bonhomme Richard, a 13-year-old Selle Français stallion (Catoki x Quaprice Bois Margot), owned by Hi Hopes Farm, to third in 35.90 seconds.
“She’s won her fair share of classes and grand prix; she’s a great competitor,” said Bluman of the mare that’s been a part of his string for many years, and was his mount for the 2023 FEI World Cup™ Final in Omaha, NE. “She’s now entering a later stage of her career. I think that she’s starting to ask me to just pick those biggest classes and let her play in some that she doesn’t have to try quite so hard in.
“I’ve been more focused on developing the young ones and taking care of the older horses,” continued Bluman, currently ranked within the top 50 in the world. “So, it’s nice when you get to win one. The format today put pressure on at the end of the class, and she’s deceptively fast, especially at this time of her career.”
Fresh off an appearance at the Paris Olympics, Bluman entered the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring at Flintfields Horse Park as one of 39 to contest Alan Wade’s (IRL) two-round track. One of ten to return for the deciding second round, the 34-year-old bested the rest with his 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Luidam x Unaniem) owned by Blue Star Investments and Over The Top Stables. Gemma W stretch across the final timers in 32.91 seconds to top Thursday’s CSI5*-W Speed victors, Mclain Ward (USA) and First Lady.
Ward and the 11-year-old Oldenburg mare (Don Diarado x Lordanos), owned by Robin Parsky, stopped the clock at 33.49 seconds to hold on for second. Fellow U.S. rider Alise Oken piloted Bonhomme Richard, a 13-year-old Selle Français stallion (Catoki x Quaprice Bois Margot), owned by Hi Hopes Farm, to third in 35.90 seconds.
“She’s won her fair share of classes and grand prix; she’s a great competitor,” said Bluman of the mare that’s been a part of his string for many years, and was his mount for the 2023 FEI World Cup™ Final in Omaha, NE. “She’s now entering a later stage of her career. I think that she’s starting to ask me to just pick those biggest classes and let her play in some that she doesn’t have to try quite so hard in.
“I’ve been more focused on developing the young ones and taking care of the older horses,” continued Bluman, currently ranked within the top 50 in the world. “So, it’s nice when you get to win one. The format today put pressure on at the end of the class, and she’s deceptively fast, especially at this time of her career.”