The End of an Era: Hilltop Farm to Close

Breeding

U.S.A.

Jane McElree's Hilltop Farm, one of America's leading dressage breeding farms and stallion stations, is closing its operation and ending an era of sporthorse breeding in the U.S.A.

About Hilltop Farm

Jane McElree purchased the property in Colora, Maryland, in 1989. The oldest buildings on the farm date back to the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Hilltop officially opened for business in September 1991 and Select Breeders Services moved their headquarters to Hilltop in 1993. Sires Riverman and Contucci established Hilltop as one of the most prominent stallion stations in North America and saw trainers Scott and Susanne Hassler manage the operation before Natalie DiBerardinis firmly took over as managing director and spokesperson for Hilltop. Michael Bragdell became the head rider after Christopher Hickey.

In the competition arena, Hilltop's Rousseau and Royal Prince achieved the greatest successes of all American horses to date at the World Young Horse Championships in Verden/Ermelo. Comic Hilltop won the 2006 Nurnberg Burgpokal Finals in Germany.

Hilltop expanded to include all aspects of the breeding industry but also training, competitions and educational activities. Hilltop represents around 40 breeding stallions with over a two handfuls standing at stud on site. They are currently standing Betsy Juliano's U.S. Olympic team horse Salvino and Michael Bragdell's Grand Prix ride Qredit Hilltop.

The property is part of the Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program (FSCAP) administered by the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts. It currently holds 32 horse farms that protect over 3,000 acres of farmland spreading across 11 counties. Hilltop s the largest farm in the program with 425 acres.

Closing Doors

Jane McElree and Scott Hassler at Devon 2005

After more than 30 years of setting the standard for modern sport horse breeding in the U.S.A., Hilltop Farm is closing its doors.

"Sadly we are slowly winding down operations at Hilltop," managing director Natalie DiBerardinis confirmed to Eurodressage. "Staff and clients with horses on the farm actually learned of this last fall to give everyone connected plenty of time for transitions. Operations including breeding season, inspections, training, etc are running into the early fall."

McElree's family has decided to put the property on the market. "We all hope someone wonderful will have the same enthusiasm and love for this property that Jane has always had," DiBerardinis added.

"While this marks the end of a wonderful era here at Hilltop, the foundation built here and many of the programs and relationships it fostered will continue forward in new and meaningful ways. Michael Bragdell will begin his own training business and I am building a new company to continue the stallion management as well as our mare and foal programs," DiBerardinis stated.