Geoffrey Hesslink and Sandori Named Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’6” Green Hunter Champion
Geoffrey Hesslink of Wellington, FL, is off and running at the 2025 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), picking up championship honors Thursday to kick off Week 2. Aboard Sandori, owned by Meridian Farm, Hesslink earned the tricolor in the Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’6” Green Hunter division.
“He’s been a very high-profile horse for a number of years,” Hesslink said of the 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Sandro Boy. “He had success with Peter Pletcher and Jennifer Hannan. We acquired him last year in the middle of Circuit. He was eligible as a first-year [Green Hunter] last year but I wanted to take my time so we did another year at 3’3” to make sure he was ready. He is a really special horse but I felt he needed some diligent developing. This was our debut in the 3’6” and I couldn’t be happier.”
The pair’s win in the Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’6”/3’9” Green Hunter Stake earned Sandori the Champion Equine Insurance Hunter Style Award, presented by Laura Fetterman.
“What stood out to me for his whole career is that he’s athletic and light across the ground,” Hesslink continued about Sandori. “He’s beautiful to look at, but I think his best quality is his jump. He tries 110% at every jump. He rarely touches a jump, he’s very careful, and quite intelligent with his leads. He feels like he knows the course before I do, which is part of the reason he’s so successful.”
Sandori has already left a mark in the amateur divisions with his owner Caroline Signorino, and the whole team hopes to keep building on the successes as the horse’s career progresses.
“He’s already been an unbelievable horse for Caroline,” Hesslink went on. “Caroline started doing the 3’3” Amateurs last year and had a number of tricolors. She was champion at Capital Challenge, grand champion at Washington and reserve at the National [Horse Show]; they got a tricolor at every indoor show they did. The hope for the year is to continue success and hopefully one day he’ll be the ultimate 3’6” [Amateur-Owner horse] for her.”
Hesslink reaches new heights every year as a young professional, and his goals continue to rise to follow his successes. “Some personal goals for this year are obviously Week 6 and the [WCHR] Hunter Spectacular,” he said. “I’m fortunate enough to compete on both coasts so I’ll be competing in the Hunter Spectacular in California as well. Both of those for the winter are my short term goals.”
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