Colombian show jumper Mark Bluman continued his remarkable first season at Spruce Meadows by winning the 1.50m Mission: Possible class on Thursday, the opening day of the Pan American tournament.
Riding Phelina de Septon, Bluman posted a clear round in 69.94 seconds in the International Ring, edging out Belgium's Jos Verlooy and Parise van den Dael, who finished second in 70.12 seconds. American Lillie Keenan and Emerlon took third in 70.29 seconds.
Bluman's Spruce Meadows Success
Bluman's victory comes less than two weeks after he won the RBC Grand Prix of Canada during the National tournament on June 13. He credited the Spruce Meadows atmosphere for helping horses improve. “(The horses) grow a lot here. It’s a big atmosphere, it’s big jumps,” he said. “So I think they come here and when they leave they’re going to come out better horses — all the horses have been improving well.”
Other Winners on Thursday
Several other riders claimed victories in Friends of the Meadows Jumper competitions. In the 1.40m class, American Avery Griffin and Bodega Semilly took top honors. The 1.30m division saw two winners: Ireland's Daniel Coyle with Obsession and American Jeffrey Fields on Laranka HX.
Canadian Carla Diewert won the 1.20m event aboard Cogito, while American Kristina Gratton captured the 1.10m class with Scendrio. In junior/amateur divisions, Canadian Trista Sillers and Gallup won the 1.40m class, American Janaya Torres and Indigo Blue took the 1.30m, and Mexican Lucas Sebastian Jaquez Medina and Temu LS La Silla won the 1.20m.
Pan American Tournament Continues
The Pan American tournament at Spruce Meadows runs through Sunday, featuring top international riders competing in multiple show jumping classes.
