Monty Joe Hadley was born on July 30, 1943. Monty started his race horse career at age 11 and was an amazing jockey. He traveled in various states and raced at all race tracks in Utah. He had many accolades and awards.
After attending a semester at Weber State College, serving a two-year LDS Mission, getting married, finding a job, and starting a family, Monty continued his cowboy activities. In 1965-1968, he mostly competed in the Rocky Mountain Rodeo Association, participating in steer wrestling, calf roping, and team roping. He joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) in 1968 in which he competed until he was in his 50s. He won many awards and when the PRCA started the circuit system (for contestants who worked full time), he competed in the Wilderness Circuit and placed second in the All-Around, steer wrestling, and calf roping. He received his gold card from the PRCA when he turned 50 because he was still an active member. He was also a professional judge for the PRCA, amateur, and high school rodeos.
Monty was also involved during these years in chariot racing. He won the championship in 1988 for Wasatch Slopes Racing Association.
Monty was on the Ogden Pioneer Days Rodeo Committee from 1997-1999 and helped the board make that rodeo very successful. Monty enjoyed his time training and breaking horses and teaching future cowboys and cowgirls in their rodeo events. He was also an experienced farrier and shoed many horses for over 30 years.
He was employed with the Weber School District Transportation Department for 28 years, where he was the director of Transportation; and for Massey Ferguson in Clearfield for 18 years. The Utah Highway Patrol awarded his department and his leadership every year for 28 years for safety and maintenance of the bus fleet. He retired in 2011after 28 years. He passed away Oct. 9, 2013.