Novice Amateur Erena Lanza had never shown a western event at the Congress before this year and didn’t start showing AQHA until June of 2010. But that didn’t keep her from being crowned Congress Reserve Champions in the Novice Amateur Western Pleasure out of 120 exhibitors with her horse, Wolf Pack Ranger. With a total of ten splits, it was the largest class at this year’s Congress. Lanza and “Roanie” were consistent across the board with one second and three thirds.
“I thought I had three great goes in my class, but by the end my legs were really tired and it was hard for me to keep him going,” Erena told GoHorseShow. “But, I thought Roanie tried really hard for me and gave me one hundred percent.”
This 19 Year-Old Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native just started showing in the western events earlier this year with her new horse. Lanza didn’t even start showing at AQHA shows until June of 2010.
“I remember coming to the Congress in 2003 to watch, and I thought it was amazing that people came from all over to compete,” Lanza recalls. “It was like a whole different world, and I always wanted to come back and show here.”
Last year, Lanza got her wish when she showed at the Congress for the first time in the hunter under saddle. Lanza is under the guidance of Dawn Shafer Performance Horses of Scottsdale, Pennsylvania. Shafer said that she loved Wolfpack Ranger when she saw him as a two-year-old, and ever since, she has been trying to find a customer to buy him. Lanza ended up buying him earlier this year.
“I love working with Dawn,” Erena tells GoHorseShow. “She is not only my trainer but also my friend. She is always there for me and helps me any way she can.”
Lanza said that her and Roanie are more like teammates. “He has a tough fighter type attitude. We respect one another but he is not an easy horse to ride. He is very stubborn, but he has helped me become the rider I am today.”
Since Erena placed second in her class, she picked up eight Novice Amateur Western Pleasure points and ended up accumulating 24.5 pleasure points for the entire year.
“Dawn said that I would have to win it to point out of novice, but since I ended up a half point short, I will be eligible for Novice again next year,” Erena says.
Former owner of Roanie, Chase Lackey and trainer Shane Young were very successful in the show arena before selling him to Lanza. Lackey won the Three Year-Old Non Pro at the Reichert last year and Shane was Reserve Champions in the Two Year-Old at the Congress with this talented gelding.
Later this week, Lanza will be showing in the Novice Amateur Horsemanship as well as adding the Trail and Showmanship to her repertoire for next year. (Pictured right-Former owner Chase Lackey with Erena)
As far as future show goals, “I would like to win a world championship and eventually buy some futurity horses and develop them into winners,” Erena says. “I go to Dawn’s five days a week and practice all the time, so I know my dedication will pay off even more in the future and I plan to stay involved with horses for the rest of my life.”
This striking blonde is also going to community college and plans to transfer to the University of Pittsburgh and major in Pre Med and eventually go to medical school. She also waitresses five days a week at a little Italian restaurant called Cucina Bella. Obviously no stranger to hard work, there is no doubt that this young woman will go far in the show arena as well as in life.
We wish her nothing but the best!
Make sure to check out her advertisement in the October Congress issue of GoMag by clicking here.
