WHITEHALL — It came down to the wire for Whitehall’s Dalaney Scafani during her final run in the pole bending event at the Montana high school rodeo state championships. Her nerves were beginning to sink in. But some helpful advice heading into that final run sparked Dalaney’s confidence to let it all loose.
“A friend of ours, Jordan Thurston-Miller, a national champion told me to run for the round and the average will take care of itself and that’s what happened," said Whitehall senior Dalaney Scafani.
A solid run with no penalties put the Whitehall senior in a great spot as she awaited the final results. Once it was all said and done, surrounded by her family she received the news that she was in fact, a state champion.
“I was amazed. It hadn’t sunk in yet, but I was proud of Oakley and I was proud that we were able to pull it off," Scafani says.
Any cowboy or cowgirl would be the first to tell you how special the connection is between them and their horse. Oakley an eight year old appendix quarter horse shares a connection with Dalaney and her sister Allee who’s been away on a church mission in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Dalaney decided this winter that she would train Oakley to run poles in hopes she could win a state championship for her sister. And that’s exactly what she did.
“She was very proud," she adds. "She trained her to run barrels and then I was able to train her in poles, so she was very excited for the both of us.”
Dalaney and Oakley’s attention now shifts to the high school rodeo nationals in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Another opportunity for the two of them to represent their community and the state of Montana.
