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"It's a sport where you never stop learning. One day we win and the next day we're on the ground; it's very humbling,” Colombia’s Mark Bluman tells World of Showjumping about the realities of being a professional showjumper. “It is challenging, but if you work hard, you can make it.”

The 34-year-old, currently ranked 55^th on the Longines Rankings, is a living example of working your way up. “I turned professional when I was 18, and I'm 34 now, and this is actually the first time that I have a string of competitive horses for the highest level of the sport. I know I am capable of riding, but, as we all know, this is a very expensive sport. As a rider, you need people around you that trust you and have the means to provide the horses so you can do what you love.”

Inspired by his cousins and siblings, Mark started riding at the age of three. “We don't come from a horseback riding family,” Mark explains. “We started because of my oldest brother Joseph, who got on a horse at a farm that we had. He never wanted to get off, and he started taking lessons. Then my other brother Ilan followed, then my cousin Daniel followed, and then I got into it as well. It's a family affair, we all ride horses and we all do this for a living.”

It has been a roller coaster, but we're finally getting there

“From a very young age, I knew that when I would graduate high school, I would move to the States where my cousin Daniel was already,” Mark tells. “I graduated high school in November 2009, and that December, moved to Wellington and started working here. It's been a bit of a trip to get to where I am now. I groomed, I was a working student for Todd Minikus for a while, then I went to work for Pablo Barrios, I moved to Europe, came back… it has been a roller coaster, but we're finally getting there.”

“We have a family business operation called Bluman Equestrian, which consists of Daniel, my brother Ilan, my cousin Steven, myself, and my oldest brother Joseph,” Mark tells about his current situation. “Joseph manages all the young horse operations that we have in Colombia. We all work together, and I also have many other supporters who invest in my career, including my father-in-law Mario Deslauriers and Sam Edelman. I recently started working with Aram Ampagoumian and Diane Schäfer as well, who have been big supporters of Mario for some years now.”

It's a family affair

“I currently have four older horses that can do the bigger classes,” Mark tells about his team of horses. “I have Ubiluc, Landon de Nyze, Concare PS, and Costa Quick PS as well as younger, promising prospects. I have probably eight horses that could jump 1.50m plus, which is amazing.”

In December last year, Mark took over the reins on the now 13-year-old gelding Landon de Nyze (Comilfo Plus Z x Quadrillo) who with USA’s Kent Farrington in the saddle claimed team gold and individual silver at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago (CHI). “The World Championships in Aachen are on the radar, since I have Landon in my team now,” Mark explains about his goals for the season ahead. “Landon is a horse that has already proven that he's capable of doing big things. Aachen is the main goal; we have our eyes set on that – as well as keep climbing the rankings.”

The World Championships in Aachen are on the radar, since I have Landon in my team now

“When I first turned professional, to be in the top 100 in the world was a goal that I saw unachievable,” Mark points out. “Right now, I'm number 55 on the ranking, and so now we're hungry. I want to see how far I can get. To be at the top of any sport is very difficult. There are thousands of athletes affiliated with the FEI, and to be among the top 100 requires a lot of hard work. It takes a big team around you, and a little bit of luck as well."

"Right now, the stars are aligning for me, and I have all that is needed; I have the huge support from very good horse owners, the support of my family, the support of the Deslauriers-family, the Edelman-family, and the Schwitzer-family, as well as Aram Ampagoumian and Diane Schäfer. It's a big team effort around me to make all these goals achievable,” Mark concludes.

3.2.2026 No reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.com. If copyright violations occur, a penalty fee will apply. Photos used with permission from rightholders.