University of Louisville Program Honors Dickinson

The College of Louisville Equine Trade Program acknowledges Michael Dickinson’s improvements to enhance the security of horse racing, naming him the thirty third recipient of the John W. Galbreath Award for Excellent Entrepreneurship within the Equine Trade.

Dickinson has spent his life deeply concerned within the equine business, first as a steeplechase jockey and coach, Thoroughbred British coach (flat racing), and most not too long ago as an innovator of racetrack surfaces. Over the previous twenty years, Dickinson has developed and refined Tapeta Footings, an all-weather artificial materials designed to enhance security for each equine and human athletes.

“I used to be honored and proud to obtain the Galbreath Award,” Dickinson stated. “Horse security has all the time been a long-term purpose, I needed to sustain with my mom, who has been a Class A Worldwide Leaping Race in little ponies since I used to be a child. We used to leap from posts and rails. fences, some ditches and drops and stone partitions. I felt very grateful and indebted on the time.”

Born in Yorkshire, England, Dickinson was a steeplechase jockey and coach earlier than turning into a profitable Thoroughbred English coach from his condo within the UK. ever since he got here to the USA. In 1987, he received greater than 80 betting races within the USA and Canada. In 2000, he led all New York-based trainers with a 35% profitable proportion from the beginning. One in every of his biggest successes in follow was conditioning 1996 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) winner Da Hoss to win once more within the 1998 renewal of that race. Churchill Downs after a single preparatory race after a two-year hiatus.

Dickinson is a member of the Steeplechase Corridor of Fame and holds 4 listings within the Guinness E book of Information, together with the file for many race wins in someday at 12.

In 1996, Dickinson started constructing his personal Thoroughbred English coaching facility, Tapeta Farm, in Maryland, utilizing probably the most modern expertise in equine care and horse breeding. Unhappy with the prevailing monitor foundations, he started creating Tapeta Footings, which is now thought-about a protected, constant, all-weather artificial floor for Thoroughbred racing and coaching.

“A give attention to security for equine and human athletes is essential in horse racing in the present day,” stated Michele Fischer, president of horse racing and gaming consulting agency Darting Star, throughout her nomination. “Michael has demonstrated a willingness to take private and profession dangers within the growth of a brand new racing floor. Initially, it was met with nice reluctance by an business resistant to alter. He has continued to enhance science and in the present day the Tapeta floor is put in at racetracks and coaching facilities all over the world.”

Tapeta 10, the newest model of Tapeta Footings, considerably lowered horse fatalities and outperformed typical grime and grass surfaces. Tapeta floor put in in: Grass Highway Park in Kentucky and Gulfstream Park in Florida, Golden Gate Fields in California and Presque Isle Downs Amenities in Pennsylvania in addition to Canada, Australia, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom.

“We’re excited to current the 2022 Galbreath Award to Michael Dickinson for his contribution to the game of racing by way of the creation of Tapeta and artificial monitor surfaces,” stated Ok. Amy Lawyer, assistant professor and head of UofL’s Equine Administration Division. “The character of the Galbreath Award is to acknowledge the innovation and enterprise efforts which have moved the equine business ahead. Mr. Dickinson’s industrial achievements have added a brand new component to a sport that has been largely unchanged for hundreds of years.”

Galbreath Award winners are chosen by a college committee on the Forcht Heart for Entrepreneurship on the UofL School of Enterprise.

This press launch was edited by the BloodHorse Crew when it comes to content material and magnificence.