West Palm Beach, FL (March 10, 2010) – Kassie Barteau and Aramo, a five-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Leslie Valente, scored a 75.714% at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI to ride away with the Highlife Cup. The prestigious Highlife Cup, sponsored by Highlife Farms, is awarded to the highest scoring Warmblood at the show, and Barteau and Aramo earned their top score in the Training Level Test 2 Open class.
“Aramo is big and brilliant,” Barteau said, adding that she has just been getting to know him over the last few weeks. “He was really on my aids and really well behaved. I was very pleased.”
Barteau, who was one of the top Young Riders in the United States during her Young Rider career, said the 17.2 hand bay gelding can sometimes be a handful, but she was pleased that during the Palm Beach Dressage Derby he was well behaved and “kept all four feet on the ground.”
Highlife Farms, owned by Kenny and Joan Sims and located in Orlando, Florida, is home to world-class sport horses and is one of the country’s most prominent breeding farms. “Congratulations to Kassie, Leslie and Aramo,” Joan said. “We have followed Kassie’s career and know what an excellent and accomplished rider she is. We are confident she will help Aramo reach his full potential.”
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Sims added that Highlife Farm sponsors the Highlife Cup at dressage shows to highlight the success of up-and-coming Warmbloods. “Aramo earned an excellent score for a five-year-old,” Sims said. “We are really pleased to honor this exceptional young Warmblood with the Highlife Cup.”
Highlife Farms is home to many well-known dressage horses, including Der Euro OLD, a 1998 Oldenburg gelding (Don Schufro/Waldroeschen/Wanderer), famous winner of the 2002 Bundeschampionate who is currently schooling Grand Prix with Highlife’s head trainer Olympian Lisa Wilcox. Highlife also owns Der Euro’s full brother, Der Dollar, a 2003 Oldenburg stallion that was honored in 2006 as USDF Southeast Breeders’ Champion and is currently competing in the Prix St. Georges. Highlife Farms has many wonderful stallions including Diamond Stud out of the famous stallion Diamond Hit and elite mare Loretta.
Highlife Farms offers equestrians the opportunity to buy European quality sport horses born and bred in the United States. Highlife will also host a Diamond Select Sale on March 28 at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach. The sale will offer an exclusive collection of the finest sport and young horses by sires such as Highlife, Pilox, Highlife’s Diamond Stud, Der Dollar, Connecticut and more.
The Highlife Cup will also be presented at the Wellington Classic Dressage II USEF Qualifier, March 12-14; and the Gold Coast Finale, April 17-18. For more information on Highlife Farms, visit their website at www.highlifefarms.com.
