story by Riata Cummings
Hayden Williams is a 17-year-old senior at North Summit High School. He enjoys his welding, agriculture and business classes. “They are the most useful for me and my future as an entrepreneur.” After high school, Hayden would like to either further his education or start a business in outfitting and big game hunting.
Hayden is the son of Jed and Crystal Williams of Wanship, Utah. He is the oldest child, and his younger siblings are Tad and Fallon. The family enjoys being outdoors, gathering cows and going to rodeos together.
Hayden’s parents competing in rodeo during high school and college, and he started down the rodeo road when he was 12-years-old. Now he competes in the steer wrestling and team roping through the UHSRA. He enjoys heeling for Dallie Bastian in the team roping, but his favorite event is the steer wrestling. “I love that all of the pressure and success is on me. There are no excuses, no one to blame. You win or lose on your own merit.”
He has qualified for the state finals every year of his high school career and placed in the top three steer wrestlers at several qualifying rodeos. One of Hayden’s most memorable runs was during the short go at state finals last year. “My mechanics were almost perfect, and everything felt so good. That’s the best run I have ever made.” Hayden’s loves the feeling of “overwhelming satisfaction” that comes after a good run. This year he has set his sights on the national steer wrestling title.
Hayden’s rodeo horses are Chex, the black steer wrestling horse who has helped him improve as a horseman, and Chicka the bay mare and heel horse that Hayden has seasoned in the team roping. Hayden goes to the gym regularly, building and maintaining the strength to throw steers. He and his brother do live steer wrestling runs once or a week.
Hayden also helps Tad and his friends practice their groundwork in the steer wrestling. Being a mentor to those boys has taught Hayden to focus on mentality, which has become one of his greatest strengths. “Mentality is the majority of the sport. The right mindset helps you deal with failure then get back up and stay positive. Mindset is where success starts. I may not be where I want to be yet, but my mindset has taken me this far and it will take me where I want to go if I keep it right.”
Hayden would like to thank his parents and family for supporting his rodeo career and helping him achieve his goals. He would also like to thank Cash Robb and the Robb family, as well as the Bastians, the Kellys and the Utah high school steer wrestlers for helping him and pushing him to be his best. “There are so many people to thank, and I am so grateful for their support. I couldn’t do it without the whole bunch of them.”
