HEBER CITY (ABC 4 Sports) - The Utah High School Rodeo State Finals started Wednesday and runs through Saturday in Heber City. And one young lady in particular is inspiring everyone around her.
Her name is Whitney Wayment and she's lucky to be alive.
"They didn't expect her to live when she was born because she was too premature," said Whitney's dad, Jim Wayment.
"People have said to me that they can't believe I went to Russia and adopted this child," said Whitney's mom, Kayla.
"We just decided that we were going to accept her for what she was and what she could accomplish because she needed a family," Jim added.
So Jim and Kayla gave Whitney exactly that....a family. But six years later Whitney had another obstacle to overcome.
"She was about 7-years-old when she was diagnosed," Whitney's mom said. "The Autism is called Asperger Syndrome which is a high functioning autism."
But even having autism hasn't stopped this Fremont High senior from doing the one thing she loves most...riding Buckshot, the horse Whitney bought and competes on.
"When they tell me I can't do it, I just go out there and try," Whitney said.
And there's no question about it. Whitney has placed in the top-ten four times and currently ranks 18th in the state out of about 150 girls in the pole bending event.
"I'm way pumped and so is he," Whitney said as she looked at Buckshot. "This is what I was born to do."
"This little girl who they said would never walk or talk.....well, she was doing that and we were pretty excited," Jim said. "We don't care whether she wins or not because she is doing things she loves to do and we know she can do."
"It's just exciting to see after graduation what Whitney is going to do," Kayla said. "I think she'll surprise us all."
I think she already has.
