Broken Foot? No Problem For Newly Crowned NY 13 and Under Showmanship World Champ Sabine Lazo

By: Brittany Bevis

To look at 12-year-old Sabine Lazo’s beaming smile in Novice Youth 13 and Under Showmanship this morning you’d have no idea anything was amiss. However, this recently crowned World Champion is competing with a broken navicular bone in her left foot.

Her injury isn’t equine-related. Lazo broke her foot earlier this March while practicing for other sports she competes in, basketball and volleyball. Still, the pain hasn’t fazed this cheerful competitor one bit. “I’ve had some Aleve this morning!” she says. She’s just thankful to be competing at the Youth World Show at all…

“My old horse, Chexs Blue Eyed Affair, hurt himself in the pasture,” she says. “He’s recovering fine so far, but he was not World Show ready.”

With her horse out of commission, Lazo turned to a new partner, 16-year-old show ring veteran, Just Plain English, to accompany her for her debut in novice youth classes at this year’s World Show.

“This is my third show with Jay,” she says. “He’s a really awesome horse. He’s only been at our house since the 8th of June, so I haven’t ridden him very long. Our first show was in Waco, TX. I rode him the day before we showed, and then we ended up Reserve High Point. That’s just an idea of how awesome he is!”

Earlier in the week, Lazo and Jay placed 8th in Novice Youth 13 and Under Hunter Under Saddle and were the Reserve Champions in Novice Youth 13 and Under Equitation. Later on in the show, they will compete in Trail, Western Pleasure, and Horsemanship.

“Equitation and Horsemanship are my favorite classes with Jay, but really any pattern class with him is my favorite. He’s just as good in  English as he is in Western. Even thought he’s 17 hands, he can also do really well in Trail!”

Considering her recent injury and horse’s unfortunate accident, we wondered how this young competitor keeps her sunny disposition, positive attitude, and constant display of good sportsmanship.

“I do enjoy showing very much,” she says. “The other thing is that my mom is a horse trainer. Our first rule of the barn is if you don’t smile, you have to pay $1 for the class, every time. So we learn to smile really quick! Also, my thought was that I’m at the World Show and I have a really nice horse. A month ago, I didn’t think I would be at the World Show at all or showing for the rest of the year.”

Congratulations to Ms. Sabine Lazo on her first Novice Youth World Champion title! The Reserve World Champion in the class today was Sydney Hatcher with Sunny Sensation.

In Novice Youth 14-18 Showmanship, Veronica John led Pour Me A Cuervo to the win. Coming in Reserve was Macy Gratteau with Sacred Love.

Novice Youth Showmanship 13 and Under:

1- Just Plain English/Sabine Lazo

2- Sunny Sensation/Sydney Hatcher

3- Simple Red Dee/Avery Rees

4- Famous N Foolish/Mikayla Hatcher

5- Yours Truly Odyssey/Lillian Woodruff

Novice Youth 14-18 Showmanship:

1- Pour Me A Cuervo/Veronica John

2- Sacred Love/Macy Gratteau

3- Sunday’s Irish Lad/Audrey Lester

4- Sensational Hannah/Alexandra Potts

5- He’s Worth the Gamble/Brianna Tuso