Wes Daybell chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about representing Utah in the 2025 Mister USA competition.
At 26 years old, Wes is not only an accomplished dog trainer who has dedicated years to helping breeders and families across the country, but he is now boldly pursuing his dream of becoming a pilot—set to graduate by the end of the year.
Raised on a small ranch in Utah, Wes brings the heart of a cowboy, a love for animals, and a deep connection to the outdoors. Whether he’s hiking, horseback riding, paddle boarding, or longboarding, Wes thrives in the open air.
His commitment to fitness and weightlifting has shaped him both mentally and physically, giving him the strength and discipline to chase big dreams. As he steps onto the national stage, Wes is proud to represent Utah with integrity, ambition, and an adventurous spirit that’s ready to take flight!
Competing for Mister USA
On competing for Mister USA, Daybell said, “That feels so exciting. It came out of the blue a little bit, so I am still realizing what happened. I am very, very excited.”
Representing Utah
On repping Utah, he said, “It feels good. I love my home state of Utah. I grew up here and I’ve lived here my whole life. Honestly, it is actually a dream. I really love Utah; I love the people here, and the outdoors here. There are so many great things about Utah, and I am happy to represent it.”
Daily motivations
Regarding his daily motivations, he said, “My younger self motivates me. Growing up, I wasn’t the most confident kid. I had a lot of insecurities, and I had to work through that, and discover myself. That is a constant process that I will do for the rest of my life.”
“To look back and see how far I’ve come has motivated me a lot, and so do my friends and family. I want to be good for them, and I want to succeed for them as well. When I win, they win,” he added.
Career-defining moments
On his career-defining moments, he shared, “Coming out was a big one. Even bigger than that was my choice to start my business when I was younger. I had this crazy good talent for training dogs; I saw that there was a demand. I stopped going to school, I started the business, and I fully committed, and it was the best thing I could do.”
“This taught me a lot of lessons about going after what I was passionate about and fully committing to something and listening to my intuition, and I did that. So, that was a defining moment for me,” he acknowledged.
Advocacy for Mister USA
On his advocacy for Mister USA, he responded, “Being somebody that strives to be healthy mentally, while also being an example of somebody who tries to live authentically and live life to the fullest.”
Superpower of choice
When asked about his superpower of choice, he responded, “I would clone myself into five or six different Weses.”
“I feel that there are so many things I want to do in a day, and a day isn’t long enough, so being able to split up, divide and conquer in one day would be the coolest,” he admitted.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Wes revealed, “Going Up.” “I am in flight school,” he said.
“My entire life has been a series of lessons and things that I’ve learned that I’ve been building brick by brick. At this point, I am going start going up that staircase that I’ve built,” he added.
“I am going to take advantage of all that I’ve prepared for and learned my entire life. Things seem to be falling into place and clicking a lot better this year than they ever have,” he added.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Wes said, “Living authentically, being proud of yourself for how you are doing. Trying your best, even if it’s not the popular opinion but being able to do that anyway. Success means satisfied with your efforts to do your very best.”
Closing thoughts on Mister USA
For fans and supporters, Wes remarked, “I want people to see someone trying their very best but also having fun while doing it. I am very motivated, and I like to do fun things each day.”
To learn more about Wes Daybell, follow him on Instagram.
