Mark Bluman wins Mission opening at Pan American show jumping tournament
Colombian rider captures 1.50m title at Spruce Meadows as the Pan American tournament kicks off through Sunday.
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Mark Bluman picked up right where he left off at Spruce Meadows, winning the opening competition as the Pan American show jumping tournament kicked off Thursday.
The Colombian rider and horse Phelina de Septon captured the 1.50m Mission: Possible title with a clear round of 69.94 seconds in the International Ring. Jos Verlooy of Belgium and Parise van den Dael finished second at 70.12 seconds, followed by American Lillie Keenan and Emerlon at 70.29.
Bluman's impressive first year competing at Spruce Meadows includes a victory in the RBC Grand Prix of Canada during the National tournament on June 13. "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 Thursday in the Friends of the Meadows Jumper competitions included: American Avery Griffin and Bodega Semilly (1.40m), Daniel Coyle of Ireland and Obsession (1.30m), and Canadian Carla Diewert and Cogito (1.20m).
The Pan American tournament runs through Sunday.