Head Trainer Michael Bragdell




Michael is originally from Gothenburg, Sweden and worked several years at a riding school, serving as an instructor and member of the show jumping team. He continued his education in England where he trained and showed young horses for Gustavii Stud. In 1995, Michael joined the Hilltop Team and he now holds the position of Head Trainer. Over the years he has presented numerous stallions and countless mares and foals at breed registry inspections as well as at breed shows around the country.

Michael believes in keeping the work interesting for the young horse to ensure they stay fresh and happy throughout their career. Seven of the youngsters that Michael has started at Hilltop have gone on to top finishes in the USEF/Markel Young/Developing Horse National Championships.

In 2008, Michael captured his first National Championship aboard Selten-HW in the FEI Four-Year Old division and captured this championship again in 2012 with Hemmingway.  In 2018 & 2019, Michael and SenSation HW won the USEF Young Horse National Championships.  Michael has won seven US Dressage Finals National Championships as well and is a USDF Bronze, Silver, & Gold Medalist.  Michael is a USDF Certified Instructor and is available for lessons at Hilltop Farm as well as offering limited clinics.

Career Highlights

2007

  • BLM Reserve Champion Third Level ~ Royal Prince

2008

  • USEF 4 Year Old National Champion ~ Selten-HW
  • Dressage at Devon Reserve Grand Champion ~ Hilltop Cha Cha

2009

  • Dressage at Devon Grand Champion ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • Dressage at Devon ~ Honored with the John JP Perry Memorial Perpetual Trophy
  • USDF Region 1 Reserve Champion Fourth Level ~  Royal Prince
  • BLM Reserve Champion Fourth Level ~ Royal Prince
Photo by Susan J Stickle

Photo by Susan J Stickle

2010

  • USDF All Breeds (AHS) Training Level, 3rd Place ~ Boxster A

2011

  • USDF Region 8 Champion First Level ~ Boxster A
  • BLM Reserve Champion Prix St. Georges ~ Bugatti Hilltop
  • Dressage at Devon Materiale Champion ~ Felix
  • USDF Horse of the Year First Level, 3rd Place ~ Boxster A
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) First Level Reserve Champion ~ Boxster A

2012

  • USEF 4-Year Old National Champion ~ Hemmingway

2013

  • USDF Region 1 Champion Intermediare II ~ Don Principe
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) Intermediare II Champion ~ Don Principe
  • USDF Region 1 Reserve Champion Third Level ~ Boxster A
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) Third Level, 3rd place ~ Boxster A
  • USDF Region 1 Champion First Level ~ Hemmingway
  • USDF Horse of the Year First Level, 3rd place ~ Hemmingway
  • USDF All-Breeds (GOV) First Level Champion ~ Hemmingway

Photo by Richard Malmgren

Photo by Richard Malmgren

2014

  • USDF Region 1 Champion Third Level ~ Feuerbach
  • USDF Region 1 Champion Fourth Level ~ Boxster A
  • USDF Region 1 Champion Intermediare II ~ Don Principe
  • BLM Champion Third Level ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) Fourth Level, 1st place ~ Boxster A
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) Grand Prix Level, 4th place ~ Don Principe
  • AHS Co-Champion USEF Four Year Old ~ Sternlicht Hilltop

2015

  • USDF Finals Champion First Level ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF Region 1 Reserve Champion Grand Prix ~ Witness Hilltop
  • USDF Region 1 Champion Intermediare II ~ Witness Hilltop
  • USDF Region 1 Champion Intermediaire I ~ Boxster A
  • USDF Region 1 Reserve Champion Prix St. Georges ~ Boxster A
  • USDF Region 1 Champion First Level ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF Horse of the Year First Level, 2nd place ~ Faberge Blue
  • USDF All-Breeds (KWPN) First Level, 1st place ~ Faberge Blue
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) Prix St. Georges, 2nd place ~ Boxster A
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) Intermediaire I, 2nd place ~ Boxster A
  • USDF All-Breeds (GOV) Prix St. Georges, 4th place ~ Qredit Hilltop

michael_trainer-2_web-rect

2016

  • USDF Finals Champion Third Level ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF Finals Champion Third Level Freestyle ~ Faberge Blue
  • USDF Region 8 Reserve Champion Intermediate I ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF Region 8 Reserve Champion Prix St. Georges ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF Region 8 Champion Third Level Freestyle ~ Faberge Blue
  • USDF Horse of the Year Intermediate Freestyle Challenge, 1st place ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF Horse of the Year Intermediate Level Freestyle, 4th place ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (KWPN) Grand Prix Level, 3rd place ~ Witness Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (KWPN) Third Level Freestyle, 2nd place ~ Faberge Blue
  • USDF All-Breeds (KWPN) Third Level, 4th place ~ Faberge Blue
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) Third Level, 1st place ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (GOV) Intermediate Freestyle, 1st place ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (GOV) Intermediate I, 2nd place ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (Westfalen) Prix St. Georges, 1st place ~ Feuerbach

It is important that I incorporate variety in the training for all of my horses.  Some of the tools I use include groundwork, freejumping, longlining, and hacking.  I think the variety allows the horses to approach the training with a fresher mind and develops their physical strength and promotes longterm soundness.”

—Michael Bragdell

2017

  • USDF Finals Champion Intermediate II ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF Region 8 Reserve Champion Intermediate II ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF Horse of the Year Intermediate II, 2nd place ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF Horse of the Year USEF Four-Year Old, 2nd place ~ SenSation HW
  • USDF Horse of the Year FEI Six-Year Old, 4th place ~ Finery
  • USDF All-Breeds (GOV) FEI Six-Year Old, 1st place ~ Finery
  • USDF All-Breeds (KWPN) Prix St. Georges, 3rd place ~ Faberge Blue
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) Prix St. Georges, 2nd place ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (GOV) Intermediate II, 1st place ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (Westfalen) USEF Four-Year Old, 1st place ~ SenSation HW
  • USDF All-Breeds (Westfalen) Intermediate I, 4th place ~ Feuerbach

2018

  • USEF Five-Year Old National Champion ~ SenSation HW
  • USDF Finals Champion First Level ~ SenSation HW
  • USDF Region 1 Champion First Level ~ SenSation HW 
  • USDF Region 1 Champion Intermediate I ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF Region 1 Champion Intermediate Freestyle ~ Sternlicht Hilltop 
  • USDF Region 1 Reserve Champion Grand Prix ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF Horse of the Year First Level, 1st place ~ SenSation HW
  • USDF Horse of the Year Prix St. Georges, 10th place ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) Prix St. Georges, 1st place ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (GOV) Intermediate II, 2nd place ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (Westfalen) USEF Five-Year Old, 1st place ~ SenSation HW
  • USDF All-Breeds (Westfalen) First Level, 1st place ~ SenSation HW

2019

  • USEF Six-Year Old National Champion ~ SenSation HW
  • USDF Finals Champion Third Level ~ SenSation HW
  • USDF Finals Reserve Champion Grand Prix ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF Finals Champion Prix St. Georges ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF Region 1 Champion Third Level ~ SenSation HW 
  • USDF Region 1 Champion Prix St. Georges ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF Region 1 Champion Intermediate I ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF Region 1 Champion Intermediate Freestyle ~ Sternlicht Hilltop 
  • USDF Region 1 Reserve Champion Grand Prix ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF Region 1 Reserve Champion Grand Prix Freestyle ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF Horse of the Year FEI Six-Year Old, 1st place ~ SenSation HW
  • USDF Horse of the Year Grand Prix, 9th place ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF Horse of the Year FEI Six-Year Old, 1st place ~ SenSation HW
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) Prix St. Georges, 4th place ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) Intermediate I, 3rd place ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (AHS) Intermediate Freestyle, 5th place ~ Sternlicht Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (GOV) Grand Prix, 1st place ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (GOV) Grand Prix Freestyle, 4th place ~ Qredit Hilltop
  • USDF All-Breeds (Westfalen) USEF Six-Year Old, 1st place ~ SenSation HW