Daniel Bluman

Daniel Bluman (דניאל בלומן; born 15 March 1990) is an Olympic show jumping rider. Born in Colombia, he represents Israel internationally and competed for his country of birth in the past. In July 2019 Bluman, as part of Israel's four-rider squad, qualified to represent Israel at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He will represent Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in both individual jumping and team jumping on 1-2 and 5-6 August 2024 at the Palace of Versailles.

Early and personal life
Bluman was born in Medellín, Colombia, and is Jewish. His father, Samuel, is an entrepreneur, and his mother, Orly, is an Israeli psychologist and social worker. He has a brother, Steven, who also rides for Israel.

His Polish-born Jewish grandfather on his father's side, a Holocaust survivor whose entire family was murdered, was in the Auschwitz concentration camp for three years and later emigrated to Colombia. He said: "My grandfather is a survivor of the Holocaust. We know what happened to him and his family. And we also know that the only reason this could never happen again is because we have the State of Israel. It’s that simple." His father's family is from Poland and Holland. His grandfather on his mother's side is Israeli, and his mother's family is from Israel and Hungary.

Bluman attended Hebrew school growing up. When he was ten years old, he moved with his family to South Florida in the United States. An alumnus of Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Florida, Bluman earned an associate degree in business from Florida Atlantic University, attending on a full scholarship.

In 2016 Bluman married Ariel Epstein, an amateur rider who also represents Israel in competition. Her family is mostly from Israel. The two have two sons, Avi, who was born in October 2018, and Eli, who was born in January 2020.

In addition to riding, Bluman runs Bluman Equestrian with his cousins Ilan Bluman and Mark Bluman, and his brother Steven Bluman. Bluman Equestrian has farms in North Salem, New York, and Wellington, Florida.

Riding career
Bluman started riding horses at age three. In 2004, he won the Gold Medal FEI Children World Championship at 16 years of age. In 2007 Bluman moved to Wellington, Florida, where he started his professional riding career. Bluman relocated to Belgium in 2013, where he trained with Nelson Pessoa for two years.

Representing Colombia
Bluman competed at three World Equestrian Games: the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Caen, and the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon. He also participated at several regional games, including the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara (at which he finished 7th) and the 2015 Pan American Games. He was a 2014 team gold medalist at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, a bronze medalist at the 2016 LGCT Grand Prix of Hamburg, and a bronze medalist at the 2016 LGCT Grand Prix of Chantilly.

Representing Colombia, Bluman competed at two Summer Olympics: the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. His best Olympic result came in 2012 when he placed 20th individually in jumping as one of the youngest competing riders.

2016-20
Bluman has been riding on behalf of Israel since late 2016. He said "'Through it all, the one thing that has always remained with me is my culture; what it means to be Jewish and to come from a family who has had to go through the Holocaust. Israel means a lot to me. Israel is a country that accepts every person — it doesn't matter your sexual orientation, your race, your religion, your ideas. It's a country that embraces you without prejudice … This is an amazing philosophy of life from an area of the world where living is not so easy. I'm very proud and emotional when I think about representing the Israeli flag.'"

He was named the 2018 Rider of the Year by L'Annee Hippique. In May 2019, Bluman won the Rolex Grand Prix at CSIO Rome di Siena.

In July 2019, Bluman, Ashlee Bond, Danielle G. Waldman, and Elad Yaniv won the Olympic Jumping Qualifier at Maxima Park in Moscow, qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, the first time that Israel has earned a place in the Olympics in equestrian. However, due to a technicality regarding the registration of his horse Gemma W, Bluman was deemed ineligible to compete just weeks prior to the start of the competition.

He won the Grand Prix at the Hampton Classic Horse Show in 2017 on Ladriano Z, a Zangersheide gelding, and again in 2021 on Gemma W, a gray Dutch Warmblood mare.

2021-22
In June 2021 he won the $213,300 Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel Grand Prix CSI4* in Traverse City, Michigan, riding the Selle Français gelding Cachemire de Braize.

In November 2022 he won the CSI4* World Cup of Lexington riding Ladriano Z.

2023
In March 2023 he won the CSI5* GP of Wellington riding Ladriano Z, a son of Lawito and Baloubet du Rouet.

He won the 2023 $226,000 Kentucky Invitational Grand Prix championship in April, riding Gemma W.

In June 2023 he won the $215,900 FEI Jumping World Cup Lexington riding Ladriano Z.

In July 2023 he (riding Ladriano Z) and his Israeli teammates Ashlee Bond (Donatello 141), Isabella Russekoff (C Vier 2), and Robin Muhr (Galaxy HM) won the Group C Designated Olympic Qualifier at the CSIO4* CET Prague Cup. With that, they qualified Team Israel for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In July 2023 he was ranked 14th in the world.

In September 2023, back-to-back he first won the $425,000 Longines Hampton Classic 5* Grand Prix in Bridgehampton, New York with Ladriano Z Bluman winning $140,250 in prize money. It was Bluman’s third Hampton Classic Grand Prix win, as he won riding Ladriano Z in 2017 as well, and he won another time in 2021 riding Gemma W. He is one of only four riders to win the Hampton Classic Grand Prix three times.

He then won the $300,000 FEI Saugerties 4* Grand Prix in Saugerties, New York, riding Gemma and winning the $99,000 first prize. That month he also won the 2023 $76,000 Major League Show Jumping CND Grand Prix 1.45 m, American Gold Cup with Cachemire de Braize in Traverse City, Michigan.

In the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel in 2023, his equine therapy project in Israel was attacked, with the Hamas attackers killing children and other people there and kidnapping others and taking them hostage to Gaza. Bluman said: "This touches very close to home.... when groups like Hamas are in power, humanity can’t thrive. How can you fight an enemy that doesn’t care about the life and wellbeing of its own people? They are an enemy that hates you more than they love their own children... [I'm progressive but I see progressive] people completely misinformed about what’s going on, taking to the streets to chant and say some things that are extremely damaging to society... I am both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine, because I am pro-life, pro-human rights, and unfortunately right now the only way to get to that is by eradicating Hamas and terrorists groups that are fighting religious wars."

In November 2023, he and Gemma W won the $250,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup in Toronto, Canada. With the victory, Bluman moved to the top of the North American League standings with 43 points; he ended the season #2 in the North American League in March 2024. Since 2018, Bluman and Gemma had won over one million euro in prize money and had 28 podium finishes, a career 41% top-ten finish average over 31 rounds at the 1.60m height, and were top ten in 44% of their 18 rounds at 1.55m, and 58% of their 24 rounds at 1.50m.

In 2023 he also won, with Ladriano Z the $425,000 CSI5* Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix, Winter Equestrian Festival 9; the Hampton Classic Grand Prix; and the Nations Cup to help Israel qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics; with With GEMMA W the $75,900 CND MLSJ IND Competition, American Gold Cup; the $300,000 FEI CSI4* Grand Prix, HITS on the Hudson VIII; and the $146,000 CSI 5* Adequate WEF Challenge Round 12, Winter Equestrian Festival 12; with Cachemire de Braize the $30,000 Grand Prix of Princeton, Princeton Summer Welcome; the $38,700 1.45 m, Old Salem Farm May II; the $77,300 FEI 1.45 m Grand Prix, TerraNova Hunter Jumper 1; and the $38,700 1.45 m Welcome, Split Rock Sarasota; and with Lady Applaus the $200 7 Year old Jumper, HITS on the Hudson VIII.

In December 2023 he was ranked 15th in the world.

2024-present
In February 2024 he won the $32,000 FEI 1.45m Welcome Speed in Florida riding Gemma W. In March 2024 he won the $32,000 Galati Yacht Sales FEI 1.45m Welcome Speed at TerraNova Winter Series Week III while riding Cachemire de Braize.

He will represent Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in both individual jumping and team jumping on 1-2 and 5-6 August 2024 at the Palace of Versailles, riding Ladriano Z. Bluman said: " “I love Israel and what it stands for. It is a great honor for me to carry the Israeli flag wherever possible and to display it proudly and with commitment. Now, more than ever, I feel the honor and privilege of being able to represent Israel. Am Yisrael Chai!”