DILLON, Mont. - In a continued effort to showcase Montana Western current and former student-athletes as more than just a number on a jersey, UMW Athletics continues on with its regular web series titled "Off the Leash". You can view the collections of stories as they are released by clicking here.
 
A Family Tradition
Competitive rodeo at Montana Western began in 1957 when a group of students formed a rodeo club with Dr. Joe Feathers as their advisor. Feathers remained at the helm of the Bulldogs until he retired in 1970. Rodeo became a varsity sport in 1987 when Montana Western rodeo was finally recognized as a varsity sport. Since the beginning, Montana Western rodeo has been rich in tradition, pride, and has had no shortage of successes. In the last 65 years of Bulldog rodeo however, there has been another constant. The Hayworth family.
 
This fall, the Bulldogs will be welcoming it's ninth Hayworth into the Montana Western family with the signing of Cade Costello. Not only is Costello joining the long line of Hayworths to compete for the Red and Black, he will be the 10th member of his family to compete on the college rodeo stage for the Bulldogs.
 
Costello, a native of Newell, S.D., is a saddle bronc rider, tie down roper, and a team roper who will be arriving in Dillon this fall. "It is a cool deal to be up at Western. It does make you feel at home when there is a lot of people that know you that you have never met. Both Mom and Dad went there, my grandpa and grandma, my uncles, and it is a cool deal to be able to carry on that legacy." Costello commented in an interview.

The legacy began back in 1963 when Costello's grandfather Herb Hayworth joined the Bulldog rodeo club at Montana Western, competing with Bulldog rodeo hall of famer Shawn Davis. During his first year, Herb competed in bull riding at the finals and placed third. Since then, numerous members of Costello's family have competed for the Bulldogs, even representing Montana Western on college rodeo's biggest stage. Costello's uncles Mike and Wes Hayworth rodeoed in the mid-60's and both had tremendous careers while serving as rodeo club officers.
Costello's mom Holly Costello, formerly Holly Hayworth, was an All-Around Big Sky Regional champion after she competed in breakaway roping, goat tying, and barrel racing. His dad Jake Costello was also a Big Sky Regional champion and Montana Pro Circuit champion saddle bronc rider. Not only were both Costello's parents successful at Montana Western, the Hayworth and Costello family has been a name synonymous with championship titles, including Cade's uncle Jake Hayworth who won national titles in both the bareback riding and saddle bronc riding events (1999, 2000), as well as reserve titles in the all-around standings.
 
"My whole family is pretty beside themselves that I chose to go to Western. They are all really excited, I am even getting graduation cards from people in Dillon that knows my family really well and they are all pretty excited I am coming there." Costello said. "You know, I had visited a couple of other colleges. I was really in between choosing Gillette College and Montana Western. Where we live, there are some pretty tall buttes, but there are no mountains like up there. When I got there, I was a little claustrophobic at first. I was not real sure if I was going to go there. We came back out there towards the beginning of April for the banquet and for some reason, it just felt like home. I like the block scheduling a lot and JT and Jolene are just as good as you can make 'em."

Costello has come no short of success leading up to his signing with the Bulldogs. He was the 2022 South Dakota High School Rodeo Association (SDHSRA) reserve champion saddle bronc rider. This past year, he was the SDHSRA third place rider, and was the Back When They Bucked high school saddle bronc champion. He was also the 2022 NRCA Dupree Bronc Match Champion. He earned academic All-State in football and wrestling, was the FFA president, student council president, class vice president, and earned Gold Honor Roll at Harding County High School. He will be continuing on with the family tradition this fall, competing in saddle bronc, tie down roping, and team roping.
 
"You know, I am most excited to come up there and just ride some bucking horses. To do what I have been doing, but I am also really looking forward to the ag program and everything that there is to offer up here. Just a bit nervous about being a long way from home. But, I think it is closer to home than maybe a lot of places are and I know I will be well taken care of." Costello continued.
 
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