Dually Wins Rodeo Event

This might be one of the greatest comeback stories in recent memory.

Dually, the horse, was stolen from the Stanley County Fairgrounds two years ago and was beaten so badly, his owner didn't think he'd ever be able to compete in barrel racing again.

But not only is Dually competing, he's winning.

It was a moment rodeo fans never thought they'd ever see again, but at the Western Fest Stampede Rodeo in Granite Falls, Minnesota, Dually came out of the gate like a champion.

Wendy Halweg maneuvered Dually around the barrels just like old times and when they crossed the line, they had recorded the fastest time and won the barrel racing event. 

"We were getting ready to go in the gate and he was prancing around and usually he's a pretty calm horse, but I reached up to touch myself and I could feel my heart beating, so I was like, okay no wonder I can feel his heart beats through this saddle, because I can feel mine, Okay I'm not helping him," Halweg said.

It's a remarkable comeback considering Dually was stolen and beaten. He suffered deep rope burns around his hooves and neck. Before the incident, the two were well on their way to their first ever Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo qualification.

"It was a long two years of rehab and different things to get him to where he's at, I was patient with him, I wasn't going to push him back and hurt him again," Halweg said.

But Halweg says the conditions were right and could tell Dually had an unbridled passion to get back in the saddle. 

"It was pretty exciting to see that he came back and he came back good, he's strong right now and he's feeling good and if everything stays sound we'll be good," Halweg said.

Making Dually's comeback a storybook ending with a finish, no one could have predicted.

Dually has now competed in seven rodeos this summer in the Badlands Professional Rodeo Circuit and has placed in five of the seven. Halweg is now sitting 4th in the standings.