Established in 2010, Bluman Equestrian is celebrating a decade of exponential growth in 2020. As the family-run team heads into what could prove to be one of its most memorable years yet, the dichotomy of its early days in Wellington to winning records around the globe is an astounding feat.
Since establishing a permanent base in the “Winter Horse Capital of the World” in 2013, the five cousins of Daniel, Steven, Ilan, Mark and Joseph Bluman that make up the enterprise have increasingly made known the name and abilities of Bluman Equestrian, which is now synonymous with excellence in and out of the show ring.
With all of the family members still under the age of 35, the future of Bluman Equestrian is bright as the family enters the new decade with lofty goals and the talent to achieve them.
“Wellington has been instrumental for the Blumans. We started our professional careers here, and we own a farm here. This is the one time of year we can spend a few months together and train and compete as a family,” Daniel said. “We have so many great memories here. All of the Blumans have been at the top of the leaderboard at some point in this town, and achieving those goals together is particularly gratifying.”
A haven for the Bluman clan, Wellington is the one location where all five of the Bluman riders and their families converge each winter, unlike the remainder of the year, when the team may be separated by state or national borders. Thanks to their communal presence in Wellington for the winter equestrian season, the members of Bluman Equestrian are able to more effectively implement their combined specialties to produce success for themselves and their clients.
The main rider in internationally rated competitions, Daniel is the go-to source for high stakes classes and spends part of his summer in Europe, while Ilan uses his skills to provide training to customers, in addition to managing his own competition schedule across the United States.
A gifted catch rider, Mark spearheads showing most of the sale horses that the team has produced, and Steven splits his time between riding, training clients and operating his company, Equo, often described as “Uber for horses.” An amateur equestrian, Joseph spends the majority of his time in their native Colombia, managing the non-equestrian side of the business to allow his brothers and cousins to focus on equine matters.
“When we were just boys, we already knew that we wanted to end up riding and competing in Wellington and at the highest level of the sport. I remember when we first moved to the area as kids, we would sell shirts so that we could meet the riders and get in front of them while funding some of our training,” Steven recalled. “Now that some of us have kids, we have the new generation of Bluman Equestrian. It feels a little like things have come full circle.”
Though Wellington has served a pivotal role in Bluman Equestrian’s development, in 2020 the team has its sights set on another location: Tokyo. As the Olympic Games in Japan draw near, the Bluman squad has been diligently preparing for the competition, during which Daniel will ride for Team Israel, as the country makes its first appearance as a nation represented in Olympic show jumping.
From the humble beginnings to 2020, which will showcase Daniel’s third Olympic efforts, the five horsemen of Bluman Equestrian have relied on principles instilled in them by their parents.
“We are competitive by nature. From our early days, we wanted to better each other in every game or sport there is,” Ilan said. “Our parents taught us to be honest and persistent. They taught us to work with integrity and resilience. Without that education, none of this would have been possible. All of us took these lessons to heart and have been able to put them to good use, which has resulted in a successful business and proper horsemen.”
A unified front in everything they do, Daniel, Steven, Ilan, Mark and Joseph have each worked for years for the betterment of the group, always putting the achievements of the team ahead of the individual. Thanks to this facet, Bluman Equestrian has reached the pinnacle of the sport in a relatively quick timeframe and, with all of the members still early in their careers, set them up for continued success.
“Our success is based on teamwork,” Mark explained. “As individuals, we are all very capable and talented for different things, and as a team, we respect each other, and we support each other. I don’t think many families can work together the way we do.”
Having grown from mere spectators in Wellington to winners of key Grand Prix events at the Winter Equestrian Festival, Bluman Equestrian has managed to solidify itself as a fixture in Wellington while still remaining committed to its family values. With a quintet of hardworking cousins at its core, it is a safe bet that the Bluman name will continue to impress for years to come.
Visit www.blumanequestrian.com to learn more.