Historical Experience With Surfaces

Michael Dickinson feels he was lucky enough to have been taught
about surfaces by the best.

His mentors include:

Dr. Vincent O’Brien - Ballydoyle, Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland:

As well as training 40 champions, the Derby winner 6 times, L’Arc de Triomphe 3 times, and Breeder’s Cup Mile, Dr. O’Brien had a well deserved reputation for soundness in his horses. There were only two fatalities in 28 years.

Geoffrey Davison

Davison was the founder of Cambridge Soil Surfaces, a pioneer in drainage systems, and turf husbandry whose methods have been used all over the world and are still very effective to this day.

Michael was fortunate to ride a collection of Steeplechase horses who often started racing at four and competed for many seasons up through the age of 10.

The bond between a Steeplechase rider and a Steeplechase horse can be very close and these old warrior racehorses taught Michael so much about safe surfaces and the footing required to jump fences at speed.

Training Centers Michael Has Built

Poplar House, Harewood, Yorkshire, England

With his parents, Tony and Monica Dickinson, Michael bought Poplar House, Harewood, which up until then had only been a sheep and cattle farm. In less than 6 months, Michael had created a training facility which was the most successful training establishment in British Steeplechasing. Big races won include:

Manton, Marlborough, Wiltshire, England

Manton had been a very successful training establishment in the early part of the twentieth century. However, when the Sangster family bought Manton, the Derby Gallop had not been used since 1930. Twelve years previously the winter gallops had been lost and the main gallops had been let go. Under Michael’s planning, guidance and care, the gallops and training tracks were restored, reinvented and reinvigorated. Since that time, horses trained at Manton with only one trainer at any time have won the following 50 Grade 1 races:

Tapeta Farm, North East, Maryland, USA

Tapeta Farm had been exclusively used for growing crops before Michael converted it into a successful training facility.
Grade 1 winners include: