Team - Bartels Media & Events

THE TEAM

Meet our dynamic and passionate team. Always ready to take on challenges, push boundaries and surprise customers. Learn more about our team and their expertise.

Gijs Bartels

Gijs graduated in Business Communication and PR at the International Management Institute in Antwerp in 1999. In 2000, he started to develop the event branch within the family business Academy Bartels. Initially, the focus was on educational projects such as the Rabo Talentsplan, clinics, conferences and courses at the home location ‘Landgoed Culitsrode’. The projects quickly evolved, moving to larger venues, and more recently the portfolio was expanded to include publishing activities. As of 2024, Gijs and his team will therefore operate under the name ‘Bartels Media & Events’, which better reflects the range of projects. Gijs is married to Esther and has two sons, Stef and Jules, who are also regularly involved in the company.

Esther Tacken

Esther Tacken is the office manager for Academy Bartels and Bartels Media & Events. She is also responsible for all personnel matters and is the final editor of the Dutch equestrian trade magazine De Hippische Ondernemer. Esther has been with Academy Bartels since 1999, having previously worked as an assistant to an equestrian vet, at the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation (KNHS) and at BCM, then owned by her future father-in-law, Joep Bartels. Esther is the sister of former Dutch showjumping champion Emile Tacken and has two sons with her husband Gijs Bartels.

Anne Knoops

Anne Knoops is a true jack-of-all-trades and has been with Bartels Media & Events since 2010. While studying Tourism and Event Organisation at Notenboom Business School, she did an internship at Bartels Media & Events and has been a permanent member of the team ever since. Anne is project manager for Animal Event, Horse Event Pro, -Youth and -Superstars. Together with her team, she ensures that everything is organised on time and oversees the project budgets. She is also responsible for the coordination of L’Année Hippique and the company’s financial management. According to Anne, it is the variety that makes working at Bartels Media & Events so enjoyable, as well as the freedom to take on new projects. Anne is a true equestrian, having been a keen show jumper in her youth.

Joep Bartels

In 1975, Joep founded the equestrian management agency and publishing house BCM, of which he was director until 1997. He was also a lecturer at the HAS University of Applied Sciences and the spiritual father of the Rabo Talent Plan and the Dressage Freestyle to music. As an innovator, Joep has made a significant contribution to the development of equestrian sport. He is also the ‘pater familias’ of Academy Bartels and in recent years has been found outdoors with his dogs and on his bicycle. During his time at BCM, Joep was the editor of the equestrian yearbook L’Année Hippique. Son Gijs bought this title in 2023 and asked his father to return as editor-in-chief. Joep also sits on the editorial board of De Hippische Ondernemer. In his younger years, Joep was active in eventing. He also studied psychology, worked as a freelance journalist for newspapers such as the Telegraaf and the NRC Handelsblad, and wrote several books.

Annet Broeckx

Annet Broeckx has been with Academy Bartels since 1998. She is an integral part of the team and is responsible for everything to do with training arrangements. For Bartels Media & Events, Annet is mainly involved in administrative matters, such as the membership administration of De Hippische Ondernemer, and as a hostess she is the familiar face at the reception desk at all events. The fact that Annet’s work is so varied is precisely what she enjoys so much. ‘Every day is different and even after all these years it never gets boring.’

ANOUK DEENEN

Anouk has strengthened the team of Bartels Media & Events since November 2024 as a project assistant. She fits right is as a local, living in the village of Hooge-Mierde, and as a horse lover. Anouk applies her skills and enthusiasm to several project, among which Animal Event, Horse Event Pro, -Youth and -Superstars. Anouk was looking for a new challenge after years of working in the dairy farming sector where she was a real jack-of-all-trades. “After a yearlong ‘break’ as the manager of the local community center, I hope to be just as versatile here in the office as I was in my previous job in the dairy farming sector. I am energized by the commitment my colleagues show to each project and look forward to working together on upcoming events!”

MAAIKE BRANDS

Maaike joined the Bartels Media & Events team as a project assistant in February 2025. Maaike used to be an enthusiastic rider in her youth and still loves horses. During her education at De Rooi Pannen, Maaike did an internship as a project and event employee at the Jaarbeurs Utrecht and theme park Efteling. After her studies, Maaike worked as a commercial advisor and project assistant at various companies and will now work at Bartels Media & Events on Animal Event, Horse Event Pro, -Youth and -Superstars. ‘I think it’s super cool to be able to combine my former hobby with my passion for organizing events now. There are many different events so I look forward to experiencing them all and being able to work on them with the team.’

ANNELOU DE MAN

Bartels Media & Events and Annelou de Man have quite a history. In 2009 Annelou walked into the office in Hooge Mierde for the first time. As a business administration student at the HAS, she came to help with the Global Dressage Forum. After completing her education, in which Joep Bartels was a lecturer, she worked for several years at Bartels Media & Events. Besides organizing Horse Event and Animal Event, she also co-marketed Excellent Dressage Sales. Currently, Annelou supports Bartels Media & Events as a freelancer with the marketing of Animal Event, Horse Event Pro, -Youth and -Superstars. ‘The incredible drive that is felt with every project makes it great to work with this team’, she says. At home, Annelou also runs a dressage stable where her own breeding products are trained.

Mirella van Leeuwen

Mirella van Leeuwen has worked closely with Bartels Media & Events for more than 20 years. For years as an employee and since 2020 as a freelancer. After studying animal husbandry at HAS, Mirella worked as a project manager for Animal Event and Horse Event. Mirella is now responsible for trade stand sales and sponsorships for these events. She has also run masterclasses for Bartels Media & Events in the KNHS Young Leaders programme. Mirella was a resident of Culitsrode Estate for many years and enjoys the short lines of communication within the organisation and the honest, open and informal way of working.

Nicole Baten

Since 2019, Nicole Baten has been working for Bartels Media & Events on the Dutch Equestrian trade magazine De Hippische Ondernemer. However, her relationship with the Bartels family goes back 25 years, when she started at BCM, the former company of Joep Bartels. With Joep she worked on the RTL TV programme ‘If you love horses’ and several major equestrian events. For De Hippische Ondernemer, Nicole maintains contact with advertisers and looks for suitable exposure packages for her relationships. Nicole praises the friendly team of nice people. It feels very familiar and pleasant to work with professional and enthusiastic colleagues and management. Nicole is a horse person through and through. As a youngster she was active in dressage, later as a groom for her daughter and as a board member of the riding club.

Denise van der Net

Since the takeover of L’Année Hippique in 2023, Denise van der Net has been working for Bartels Media & Events, after having worked for BCM for decades. Denise was trained as a receptionist, but gained her knowledge and experience mainly by working in the field. Denise is responsible for gathering and compiling all the content for the major events. Everyone at Bartels Media & Events is on the same page, enthusiastic and great to work with. There is a real sense of bringing a project to a successful conclusion together,” says Denise of her work. As a young girl, Denise competed at Z level, then joined BCM and has always worked in the equestrian sector.

Hans Hendriks

Hans Hendriks specialises in the marketing and management of global equestrian projects. Over the years he has successfully managed and commercially overseen the sponsorship of the world’s leading equestrian projects. First as part of the successful BCM team, working closely with Joep Bartels, and later on a freelance basis. In recent years, Hans has worked extensively with Gijs Bartels on projects such as L’Année Hippique and The Dutch Masters. Hans is enjoying the revival of L’Année Hippique, it feels like a warm bath. Despite some difficult years with the previous publisher, the strength of the L’Année Hippique brand seems undiminished. Hans has two daughters, both of whom have a great affinity with equestrian sports; in his younger years, Hans himself was a deserving show-jumper up to 1.40 level.