For the first time outside North America, hunter sport takes the spotlight at the Baran Global Hunter Classic, from July 11–13 at the Longines Tops International Arena in Valkenswaard. With €300,000 in prize money and a groundbreaking team format—pairing top hunter riders with elite international jumpers—this landmark event brings the elegance and skill of the hunter discipline to the world stage.

Hunter competitions trace their origins to 16th-century Europe and Great Britain, where hunting served both a practical and social purpose. Over time, landowners enclosed their properties with hedges, stone walls, and other natural barriers. The ideal hunting horse needed to navigate rough terrain and clear obstacles with ease. These natural barriers inspired the jumping elements central to modern hunter competition.

The hunting tradition was brought to North America by European immigrants and soon became an integral part of early community gatherings. Shows for hunter breeding stock began around 1853, with the first recorded official hunter competition in 1917. In formal competition, field hunters were judged on their quality, manners, and way of going. 

Today, hunter horses are judged on their jumping technique, movement, and consistency. Judges look for an exemplary jumping style—tightly folded and even front legs, a beautifully rounded bascule over fences, and a flowing stride. Modern hunter competitions emphasize form and function.

For many riders, hunter competition is the first stepping stone toward elite equestrian sport. In North America, the traditional pathway progresses from hunters to equitation, and ultimately to show jumping—a system for producing top riders and horses. Many of North America’s top jumper riders and horses have emerged from this system.

In 2007, the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) introduced the USHJA International Hunter Derby. The derbies included a handy round, featuring rider choices in approaches, fence height and other elements, adding an exciting strategic component to the competition. USHJA later added derby competition levels.

Most warmbloods competing in North American jumping sports are bred in Europe, where the infrastructure and breeding programs are well-established. Though some European nations, like France, host hunter competitions (such as The Grande Semaine de Fontainebleau), a true global presence for the hunter discipline has yet to emerge—until now.

Just as the Longines Global Champions Tour revolutionized show jumping, this event aims to create a global platform for hunter competition, fostering a new era of excellence and international collaboration.

This vision is why Andrew Lustig and Kristen Baran, in partnership with Jan Tops, have launched the Baran Global Hunter Classic. This new endeavor seeks to bring hunters the same level of global recognition and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the sport.

Join us as we take this historic step forward—one that will define the next era of hunter competition.

For Tickets, Livestream in Europe on GCTV, in North America on ClipMyHorse.TV