The High Point Awards That Keep on Giving

How the receipt of some “unique” awards brought a barn together.

By Delores Kuhlwein

It might have been Flat Stanley that inspired the tradition, or maybe even the quirky little Traveling Gnome who appeared in famous landmark photos. Somewhere along the line, it became a pop culture phenomenon to take a fun or quirky object and make it a companion to our travels by having it appear in all our keepsake photos.

Little did we know that when we asked our readers what unusual awards they’ve received in a recent Facebook post, we learned that the clients of Ream Performance Horses have taken this tradition to a new level.

It came about quite innocently when they received some unique leather trays as High Point awards at their first Michigan Pinto show this spring – two high point trays and one reserve.

What to do with them, they wondered? It’s not that the gift wasn’t appreciated, but it was a first for the barn members. And since the gift was creative, they pulled out their own imaginative stops.

“Out of all of the high point awards I’ve received, this one might take the cake. It’s the most unusual gift I’ve ever received,” says client Gloria Alvarez, explaining that she and her mom, Shelly, decided to start taking the “dorky” trays on every adventure like a Flat Stanley.

The barn members began to take a photo with a tray wherever they traveled this year. “2023 began a new trend for Ream Performance horses,” says client Rachelle Croy, who says the trays have now traveled the nation and have been featured in hundreds of pictures and videos with team members and  strangers alike. “They hit the Paint circuit, attended 4H fairs, visited truck stops, and have assisted in sabotaging any innocent person trying to nap at a show!”

The trays even persevered through the Tulsa Tornado at the 2023 Pinto World Show, explains Gloria.  “It doesn’t leave my horse trailer!” adds Gloria.

Their trainer, Emily White Ream, says, ““Our entire group looks for fun places to stash the tray for a good photo opp. You never know where it will show up! If someone has a good ride, they get a High Point for a good ride. If someone’s taking a good nap on the couch, they get a High Point! Find a ring steward or a gate person doing a great job at the show? High Point.”

Rachelle explains the trays ride along with anyone in the group traveling. And when they didn’t have a tray with them at a recent Ohio Pinto show, says Emily, “one of the moms made a makeshift High Point tray out of paper so we could have it in our win picture!”

Emily says her group has really embraced the fun adventure that has come with these High Point awards. “We weren’t sure what to think of them at first because it’s such a different prize, but these trays do so much more for us than hold our accoutrements – they really have united us!”

“This dorky tray has brought so many laughs and fun memories with so many people!” says Gloria, who explains that the tray unexpectedly allowed her to become more connected with her Ream Performance Horses family.  “We have 100’s of photos,” says Gloria.  “It’s gotten to the point where strangers at horse shows notice them right away. The tray that nobody wanted, is the tray everyone has come to love!”