Sweet Lazy Sensations and Rylee Morgan Win 2021 Breeders’ Trust 3-Year-Old Maiden WP
PHJ release by: Jessica Hein
Photo by: Larry Williams Photography
With Canada’s borders mostly closed during 2020 due to the pandemic, Sweet Lazy Sensations was stuck in Canada with owner Pamela Switzer of Busby, Alberta, instead of heading to the U.S. for training as a 2-year-old and then on to the 2020 APHA World Championship Show. But perhaps it was for the best, since the mare’s lack of showing in 2020 made her eligible to participate in the 2021 APHA World Show’s new Breeders’ Trust 3-Year-Old Maiden Western Pleasure Stakes class. “Hayley” and trainer Rylee Morgan of Provo, Utah, clinched the class’ limited and overall championship titles and took home more than $14,000.
“She was perfect. With her being maiden, I had no idea what to expect. She was super easy to prepare; I could send her forward, I could slow her down—she showed amazing,” Rylee said about the 2018 bay overo mare, who is by Zippos Sensation and out of Lotza Lazy (QH). “She’s going to make me spoiled, thinking all of them are that easy.”
Rylee had originally planned on starting Hayley’s training early in her 2-year-old year, but the COVID pandemic hampered their ability to get the mare from Alberta to Utah. Instead, Pam took a lead role in the mare’s training—she and Rylee collaborated, reviewing videos and figuring out weekly game plans to keep the mare’s training moving forward. Finally, a commercial shipper was able to transport the mare in late 2020, so she could continue her training under Rylee’s capable guidance.
“Pam worked on her at home; she sent me videos every week, and I’d send her exercises to do,” Rylee said. “It’s so awesome that Pam got to be a part of it. She bought Hayley as a weanling the day she was born. She knows how to pick out a good horse, that’s for sure.”
The teamwork paid off, and Hayley exceeded expectations when she jogged into the John Justin Arena on July 2 and won not only the limited division, but also the overall championship. Rylee is especially thankful for Pam’s support, along with that of her mom, Sandi; Rylee says she also had an angel on her shoulder and knows her dad, Shawn, who passed away in October 2020, was smiling down as she jogged into the pen.
Pam is taking over Hayley’s ride next year, and Rylee says she’s looking forward to bringing Hayley’s full sibling back in 2022 to hopefully defend her maiden class title. And despite plans that didn’t quite work out as intended, they certainly came together for an even better payoff.
“It was hard—I wanted to show her so bad because she is so nice,” Rylee said, “but it made it worth it today, for sure.”
VS Fire N Ice, shown by Erin Fick, earned the reserve championship and $$6,300. Judy Moyer of Bellmawr, New Jersey, owns the 2018 red roan overo gelding by VS Code Blue (QH) and out of One Radical Girl (QH). The total class purse was worth $21,000.
The Breeders’ Trust Pleasure Stakes classes at the 2021 World Show feature maiden horses competing in their first horse-show classes for total purses worth more than $50,000. To learn more and to read about modifications to 2022 Breeders’ Trust Pleasure Stakes classes, visit apha.com/worldshow/breeders-trust-pleasure-stakes/.
