Tokyo and Ryan Yap Win Highlife Cup At Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge II

Written by JRPR

Thursday, 18 March 2010 09:32

Ryan Yap and Tokyo won the Highlife Cup at the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge II at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center. The Highlife Cup, awarded to the highest scoring Warmblood at the show, is sponsored by Highlife Farms, a world-class sport horse and Warmblood breeding farm. From left to right: Highlife owner’s Kenny and Joan Sims; Tokyo’s owner Renee Isler; Yap; and trainer Kathy Connelly.

West Palm Beach, FL – Tokyo, a Dutch Warmblood owned by Renee Isler and ridden by Ryan Yap, showed off his spectacular canter during the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge II to capture the highest score for a Warmblood at the show. Tokyo’s high score earned him the Highlife Cup, sponsored by Highlife Farms, a world-class sport horse farm and one of the country’s most prominent breeding facilities. “We earned a score of 74.186% in the Fourth Level Test of Choice,” said Yap, who is from Chicago and trains with Kathy Connelly. “Tokyo tries really hard and has a super canter.” Connelly was quick to praise Tokyo’s bright attitude and athletic abilities.

“Tokyo is a wonderful horse. He’s very forward going and was spectacular today,” Connelly said. “Ryan did a beautiful job of riding him.”

The Highlife Cup, sponsored by Highlife Farms, is awarded to the highest scoring Warmblood at select dressage shows in South Florida during the 2010 winter circuit. Highlife Farms, owned by Kenny and Joan Sims, is well known for the success of their Warmbloods in the show ring, including Der Euro OLD, a 1998 Oldenburg gelding (Don Schufro/Waldroeschen/Wanderer), who won the prestigious Bundeschampionate in 2002 and his full brother, Der Dollar, a 2003 Oldenburg stallion, who was honored in 2006 as the USDF Southeast Breeders’ Champion.

“We want to congratulate Ryan and Tokyo on a super ride,” Joan said. “We believe in the abilities of Warmbloods and have bred top quality sport horses with exceptional European pedigrees and bloodlines from Oldenburg, Holstein, Hanoverian and Westphalian lines.”

Highlife Farms is known for offering horse owners the chance to buy European quality sport horses in the United States, and on March 28 they will host a “European style” horse auction at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center featuring over 35 horses and sport ponies from Highlife Farms. “European auctions and sales offer a party-like atmosphere with breeders selling their horses, and that is exactly what we will be doing,” Sims said. “Our sale will be like attending a European Sport Horse auction, without having to leave Florida.”

The auction will give bidders the chance to purchase their next star from an exclusive collection of the finest sport horses and young horses, sired by Highlife’s famous stallions including Highlife, Pilox, Highlife’s Diamond Stud, Der Dollar and Connecticut. “The auction is going to be a very exciting event, with commentary from George Morris and a dressage stallion showcase featuring our head trainer, Olympian Lisa Wilcox, as well as Robert Dover and Ernst Hoyos.”
For more information on Highlife Farms, visit their website at www.highlifefarms.com.