Team Hesslink Williams Top the Podium at The Baran Global Hunter Classic
Junior hunter rider Faith Schuttemeyer claims victory in Handy Hunter Round.
Founders Andrew Lustig, Kristen Baran and Mitchell Kates, Team French: John French, Paige Walkenbach, Harrie Smolders, Team Hesslink Williams: Geoffrey Hesslink, Faith Schuttemeyer, Lillie Keenan, Team California Rose: Halie Robinson, Caroline Ingalls and Maikel van der Vleuten
Mackenzie Clark Photo
Valkenswaard, Netherlands – July 13, 2025 – The final day of competition at The Baran Global Hunter Classic at Longines Tops International Arena, crowned Team Hesslink Williams, comprised of professional hunter rider Geoffrey Hesslink (Wellington, Florida), junior hunter rider Faith Schuttemeyer (Boynton Beach, Florida) and international jumper rider Lillie Keenan (USA), topped the field of seven teams. Finishing on a final overall score of 182.25 after three phases, including the Under Saddle Class, the Classic Hunter Round and today’s Handy Hunter Round, they take home the lion’s share of the €300,000 in prize money.
Team French, with Team Captain, professional hunter rider John French (Wellington, Florida), junior rider Paige Walkenbach (Paradise Valley, Arizona) and international jumper rider Harrie Smolders (NED), earned second-place honors with a 177.88 and Team California Rose rounded out the top three on a score of 171.95. Team California Rose was led by Team Captain and professional hunter rider Halie Robinson (Santa Barbara, California), amateur hunter rider Caroline Ingalls (Rancho Santa Fe, California) and international show jumper Maikel van der Vleuten (NED).
The junior riders shone brightly in the Handy Hunter Round. Schuttemeyer, adding vital points to Team Hesslink Williams, bested the field of 21 with her mount Juan Carlos (Casall x A Comme Ci/Canturano I), a 12-year-old bay Holsteiner gelding bred by Hollenbeck Rolf and cared for by Jose Gaytan. The duo delivered over the 11-fence course set by Kevin Holowack (Ontario, Canada), decorated by Flora Baptiston (MEX). With a fluid and forward stride, the pair was rewarded by the judges with a top score of 93.33. Walkenbach (Paradise Valley, Arizona) and the legendary hunter Babylon (Crumbie x Die Cera/Balou Due Rouet) also rode tight and tidy inside turns, showcasing their handiness to earn second place with a 91.50. Encinitas, California-based hunter professional, Emily Esau Williams aboard the impressive 12-year-old chestnut Belgian Warmblood stallion by Nabab de Reve, Star Quality, finished third with a 91.00.
Team Hesslink Williams junior rider Faith Schuttemeyer and Juan Carlos. Mackenzie Clark Photo
The mission of The Baran Global Hunter Classic is to bring hunters to the world stage. This week’s performances have proven that the hunter discipline is worthy of international recognition.
“This is the first event (of its kind) in our sport,” Hesslink said. “As someone who's really passionate about hunters, this was the most exciting venue and sport I've seen in a long time. I had the most fun and felt the most exhilarated in years. Hunters can tend to be categorized as boring, but this felt the opposite of that. I cannot wait to come back.”
Hesslink Williams Team Captain Geoffrey Hesslink and Paisley Park. Mackenzie Clark Photo
International jumper rider Lillie Keenan began her career in the pony, hunter and equitation rings before becoming an integral member of the U.S. Equestrian Team. “I think that the beauty of American show jumping and the American style of riding is (that it’s) rooted in hunters. I am a big proponent of that,” Keenan said. Last week she won team gold in the CSIO5* Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup in Aachen.
“I truly believe in the importance of the American system,” she added. “For me to be a part of a program that can showcase that to the world and make it clear that there are other jobs for some very special horses that otherwise might be lost along the way—I think for the world to see that is incredibly important and only positive for the horses that we love so much.”
Team Hesslink Williams international Jumper rider Lillie Keenan and Spoken. Mackenzie Clark Photo
“This win means a lot to me,” Hesslink added. “Lillie's been a close friend of mine for many years, and I look up to her now with all her jumper accolades. Faith is one of the top junior riders I've ever had the privilege of helping. So I was just so honored to have a strong team and go across the world to give this a fighting chance. So, I'm really happy with the result.
“I had the privilege of going last in the rotation. Lillie went first for our team, and we were in a leading position. Our plan was to lay out all the stops. She had an unfortunate ending, but the rest of the round was gorgeous. So, my plan shifted, and I just wanted to have normal, consistent rounds to keep us where we were.”
Despite winning at some of the USA’s prestigious hunter competitions, riding in a team scenario at an impressive venue as the Longines Tops International Arena, is an experience 15-year-old rider Schuttemeyer is sure to never forget. “It's amazing to ride with two of the top riders ever,” she said. “I didn’t do anything too risky. I just stayed on the plan,” she added about the team’s plan for the Handy Hunter Round.
The Baran Global Hunter Classic marks Keenan’s first time back in the hunter ring donning a shadbelly in quite a while. “I was a little rusty, but I had a lot of fun,” she said. “It was exciting to go back to my childhood and to ride on such a strong team. Obviously, Geoffrey is one of the best there is with the hunters, and it's a privilege to ride such a nice horse (Spoken) loaned to me. I've never seen Faith ride before this week, but I’ll definitely be watching her now! I think she's extremely talented.
“I was the first rider (of our team) in the rotation. I took a huge risk and it didn't pay off in that moment, but I think our risks the other days did. We were still in a strong position. So, these two (Hesslink and Schuttemeyer) stuck to a safer plan. They rode so beautifully.”
The Handy Hunter Round honors the tradition of hunting by showcasing the agility and rideability of the modern hunter horse. Options to take inside turns to many of the jumps on course provided riders the opportunity to stand out in hopes of impressing the judges. Riders entered the expansive grass ring at Longines Tops International Arena, picked up a canter and rode a direct line to fence one, something unfamiliar to the teams’ international jumper riders. The course was set to favor landing leads after the jumps to ensure a smooth track to the next fence. After the double combination at fences eight and nine, most rode a tight rollback off the left lead to fence ten before showing brilliance by galloping the final fence on course, The Baran oxer headed toward the ingate.
During the awards ceremony, Hesslink was honored as Top Hunter Professional, his junior teammate Schuttemeyer was the Top Junior Rider and Team French’s international jumper rider, Harrie Smolders (NED), was Top International Jumper Rider.
The Baran Global Hunter Classic leadership is grateful to our distinguished panel of judges, including: judges Shane George (Magnolia, Texas), Archie Cox (Palm Springs, California), Hope Glynn (Petaluma, California), Bob Crandall (Wellington, Florida), Rachel Kennedy (Brooksville, Maryland) and Adeline Wirth-Negre (France). In addition, the leadership thanks Longines Tops International Arena, all the supporters, riders, attendees and staff for contributing to such a magical event.
Mackenzie Clark Photo
About the Baran Global Hunter Classic
Co-founded by Kristen Baran and Andrew Lustig, and supported by an experienced team of industry leaders, the inaugural Baran Global Hunter Classic will take place July 11-13, 2025, in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands. The mission of this unrivaled event is to showcase show hunters-until now primarily a discipline in North America-on a global stage. The one-of-a-kind competition will feature teams made up of three elite riders-one hunter professional as the team captain, one amateur or junior and one international show jumping rider-competing over a hunter-style course, but in Nations Cup format. The 2025 Baran Global Hunter Classic is the debut for an unparalleled series of hunter competition in North America in 2026 and beyond. Visit thebaran.org for additional information.
For media inquiries and sponsorship opportunities, please contact thebaranevent@gmail.com.