Daniel Bluman & Gemma W Put the Pedal to the Metal in the $63,000 Stars & Stripes Speed Stake CSI 5*-W

By Jumper News on 2025-10-24

Upper Marlboro, United States – October 23, 2025 – International jumpers took to the arena on Thursday, October 24, to contest the first two classes of the CSI 5*-W competition at the 2025 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), presented by MARS Equestrian™. The fastest in the $63,000 Stars & Stripes Speed Stake CSI 5*-W were Daniel Bluman (ISR) and Gemma W, owned by Blue Star Investments and Over The Top Stables. Held at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD, the event continues through Sunday, October 26.

By leaving out strides and making very short turns, Bluman made it look easy when he and Gemma W cruised to victory in the $63,000 Stars & Stripes Speed Stake CSI 5*-W. The faults-converted format class added three faults for every rail down, but by leaving the jumps up and being fast, Bluman handily took the win with a time of 54.98 seconds.

**Kaitlin Campbell** (USA) r& **Cosm Hesed**

It was nearly two seconds faster than Kaitlin Campbell (USA) riding Cosm Hesed for owner Mirasol Equestrian, who stopped the timers in 56.79 seconds.

Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) and Corrie 9, owned by Artemis Equestrian Farm, placed third in 57.11 seconds.

While Gemma W was one of Bluman’s main grand prix horses for years, she has taken a bit of a step down in 2025. She has competed in some five-star qualifying classes, but mostly more 1.50m-1.55m events in lower-rated shows. It’s where Bluman feels she fits best, and her record shows it; Gemma finished in the top five in 12 of 19 classes in 2025.

“It’s very important to listen to your horses, and Gemma is a fantastic horse,” said Bluman of the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Luidam x Unaniem. “She’s given me everything since the first day that we started to work together, and I didn’t want her to start feeling that she wasn’t competitive anymore.”