Michael lives in McDade, Texas. He is fluent in four languages. He grew up near Rotterdam in the Netherlands and began riding at age 10. He moved with his family to Portugal at age 13 when his equestrian career began in earnest.
TRAINED WITH:
– Lord Henry Loch
– Luis Valenca (Portuguese School of Equestrian Arts)
– Don Jose Athayde (Head of Alter Stud)
– Fernando Oliveira (Nuno Oliveira’s assistant)
– Marcel Bonaerens (Ludo Phillipaerts’ coach)
While studying in Great Britain, he trained a horse that later was sold to Prince Phillip as an eventer.
Has been listed on Sylvia Loch’s website as one of the top 15 Classical Dressage trainers in the world.
Performed on the quadrille team of Luis Valenca at the Salon du Cheval de Paris and Equitana
Earned his British Horse Society credentials in only six months
Was sponsored by Loctite Corp. to work show jumpers in Germany in the ’80s
Began giving riding instruction at age 18
Trained horses for the Saudi royal family and Saudi Aramco
Read more about Michael in Ingrid Edisen’s December 2007
article in Horse Gazette magazine
