Lindsey Conti of Wentzville, Mo., and her horse, Rose Deelivery, and Jennifer Strange of Daleville, Ind., and her horse, Phantom Yankee, have been named High Point Award winners for the 2009 American Ranch Horse Association competition year.

Lindsey Conti and Rose Deelivery: Open and Youth High Point Award

Conti and “Rosey” took home the honor in two divisions, Open and Youth. Now an 8-year-old Paint mare, Conti first rode and “fell in love with Rosey” at a cattle round up in Iowa and purchased her in November 2007.

“I committed to work hard with Rosey so that the two of us could excel in every event we entered,” Conti said, and the work paid off. In 2008, they were ARHA Reserve High Point Youth Award winners. In 2009, the pair traveled more than 15,000 miles to shows in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Georgia.

“One thing that I love about showing in the American Ranch Horse Association and that I love about Rosey is that I can show in everything! I cannot decide which is her very best. She is fantastic in trail, ranch riding, ranch reining, conformation, showmanship, and pretty darn good in reining, ranch cutting, working cow horse, working ranch horse, and horsemanship. My favorite is working cow horse,” Conti said, and she looks forward to adding roping to the roster in 2010.

Conti was 15 years old during the 2009 show season and plans to be a veterinarian. In addition to her ARHA involvement, she competes in the Missouri Reining Horse Association, is a member of the American Paint Horse Association and is active in 4-H.

Jennifer Strange and Phantom Yankee: Amateur High Point Award

Strange and her 9-year-old Paint gelding, “Boo,” won the ARHA Amateur High Point Award in 2009. Strange purchased this horse in October 2008 and soon began riding with Bill Black at Cross 9 Ranch in Spiceland, Ind., who introduced her to the ARHA. Twelve shows later, they took home the High Point as well as the Amateur Rookie of the Year honors.

“We did pretty much any class with an ‘Amateur’ in front of it, except for Amateur cutting. My favorite classes are reining and pattern classes. I like these classes because I love to slide and spin. Phantom Yankee really enjoys any class with a cow in it,” Strange said.

“When I started showing in May at the Indiana show, I had no idea how well we would do. It wasn’t until after the [ARHA] World Show that we thought I had a shot at Rookie of the Year. We added a few more shows to the schedule, and at the end of that, I wasn’t too far off of the [High Point] Amateur Award, either, so we added even more shows to the schedule.”

Strange is a therapy supervisor at a skilled nursing and rehab facility. In addition to her regular work with Black, she’s ridden in clinics with Ron Bluett and Ben Bowman but credits Debi Osborn for her start in horses and for helping her find Boo.

Formed in 2004, the American Ranch Horse Association promotes the abilities of the all-around versatile working horse in a positive atmosphere where western tradition is genuinely honored. Rapidly growing with more than 7,000 members, ARHA hosts competitions, clinics and educational events throughout the year.

Awards were presented during the banquet at the National Convention in Lexington, Ky., in February. For information about ARHA award programs, visit www.americanranchhorse.net or call 606-271-2963.