Tanya Relander’s mom had to beg her parents to ride. So as soon as Tanya and her sisters could sit up her mom had them on the back of a horse.

“She made sure we had horses to ride and show,” Tanya said. “We rode before we did our school work each day.”

Tanya got started riding with a snow white pony named Cob and her first American Quarter Horse was  a bay mare named Hobo Star. It was full speed ahead from there.

“My mom took us kids to the shows, made sure we were well mounted and ready and then told us to do our best,” she recalls. “Winning is great, but not the main goal. I still feel that way today. She also felt we would be better riders if we rode numerous horses. So I didn’t have the same one for long.”

Growing up in Kansas and Colorado, Tanya really developed a love for the state fairs and state futurity shows all over the Midwest – or really, anywhere.

“Of course, they are dropping by the wayside these days,” she said. “These shows have been a venue for area people to show off their stock that they have worked with all year. New faces, excited exhibitors.”

Back then, Tanya showed all-around events.

Her specialty was speed events, but she started the day with Showmanship and showed all day long. Eventually she gravitated to Hunter Under Saddle and Western Pleasure and now it’s 100% Western Pleasure for her.

“To me, the class is a challenge to have beautiful movers on a draped rein, with a kind expression,” she said. “It’s not easy.”

There was a brief period of time when Tanya took a break from riding and did some hunting and fishing, but she was always drawn back to the show life. It’s where she met Steve, her husband of 30 years.

“We have been focused on the horse business ever since,” Tanya said. “Steve has the eye to pick out great prospects and show horses. We have been successful in raising or buying a couple of yearlings a year, starting them, training, showing and selling. Steve is my coach and eyes on the ground. Occasionally he would show one, usually because we had a couple ready at the same time. I would give him his choice the day of the show-he always placed higher than I would.”

Tanya estimates that she and Steve have had over 100 show horses over the years, many of which can be traced back to a 1986 bay mare by The Big Investment, named January Investment. Although January was not what you’d call a big time show horse – she earned 50 Western Pleasure points – she is well known for the successful show horses she produced.

“We started all 12 of her foals, and showed them,” Tanya said.

Among them is World and Congress Champion Artful Investment (by Artful Move); Congress Champion Zippin Real Good (by Zippos Mr Good Bar); Reserve Congress Champion Treasured Investment (by Zhip); and Multiple AQHA World  Champion One Lazy Investment (by Lazy Loper).

Steve and Tanya also purchased several successful show horses like Congress Champion Absolute Option; AQHA World Champion So Good To B Me and Reserve Congress Champion Uptown Asset.

This year Tanya is showing Extremely Lazy, a 2016 mare by Extremely Hot Chips out of Ima Fancy Affair.

Extremely Lazy (Tomi) is the last foal raised by the Relanders and had a rough start.

“Marshall and Michelle Babb in Kentucky foaled her out for us,” Tanya explained. “It was a very difficult birth, and thankfully the Babbs saved her life and that of her dam.”

Consequently, Tomi was slow to mature.

“She always had a great attitude and a lot of try, so it was not a hardship to wait for her, but not real promising.

Finally, last January, we showed her for the first time as a 4-year-old,” Tanya said. “Every day she got better. So, we made the decision to send her to Lakins Quarter Horses to see if she would finish.”

They finished out the year by placing 12th at the AQHA World Show in Amateur Select Western Pleasure and Tanya is continuing to show her this year.

The Relanders, who now split their time between Aledo, Illinois and Cave Creek, Arizona, also have other Western Pleasure contenders this year including:

            • Lazy Maisy, a 2018 mare by Lazy Loper and out of Ima Best Of Sudden.

            • Itz Lazy Time, a 2018 mare by Lazy Loper out of An Hour In Time. 

            • HP Certainly Good, a 2016 mare by Certain Potential out of HP Goodnkrymsun.

The Relanders have had tremendous success over the years, they say, by just focusing on riding and showing Quarter Horses forever.

“I think about making my horses better all the time,” Tanya said. “I found a soul mate with Steve, as he is thinking the about the same thing.”

Tanya lists her win in Amateur Western Pleasure at the 2010 AQHA World Show on One Lazy Investment as her “biggest win” but says it was another accomplishment that means the most to her.

“In 2010 I placed 10th in Junior Western Pleasure at the Congress with One Lazy Investment,” she said. “He showed perfectly for me and after the class, Steve and I had several top competitors look us up and tell us what a great ride it was. I still tear up thinking about it!”

 Amateur Profiles are part of InStride Edition’s editorial content. If you know someone who would make a good subject for an amateur profile email Corrine Borton, Editor, at: CorrineBorton@InStrideEdition.com.