Remembering Legendary Bull Rider Lane Frost

Lane Frost was born in La Junta, Colorado on October 12th, 1963, to Clyde and Elsie Frost. He has one sister, Robin and one brother, Cody. Ever since Lane could talk, he told his parents that he wanted to be a bull rider. Elsie made Lane his first pair of chaps and in 1974 at the age of ten, he won his first rodeo awards at the "Little Buckaroos" rodeo held in Uintah Basin, UT. At the age of fifteen, Lane started to ride bulls on a regular basis, up until then he has been competing only on calves and steers.

In 1978, Lane and his family moved to Lane, Oklahoma where he continued learning about and riding in rodeos. In less than a year he had made an impression on the Oklahoma bull riding circuits. Lane already had the help of his father, but now he also had the help of his fathers friend and 1962 Bull Riding Champion, Freckles Brown. Brown became a life mentor to Lane, and a great friend. Later that year Lane, at the age of fifteen, became the Bull Riding Champion of the "Small Fry Rodeo Association."

In 1980, Lane was the Bull Riding Champion of the "Oklahoma Youth Rodeo Association," and runner up Bull Riding Champion of the "National High School Rodeo Association." He was only a sophomore in high school. It was at this time that he met two people who would be in the rest of his life, Tuff Hedeman and Kellie Kyle.

In 1981, he won the Bull Riding Championship in the "National High School Finals Rodeo Association." Lane graduated from Atoka High School in 1982, and kept the Bull Riding Championship for a third year in a row for the "Oklahoma Youth Rodeo Association." He was also the Bull Riding Champion of the "American Junior Rodeo Association" as well as the Champion of the "First Annual Youth Nationals Finals."

In 1983 he received full membership in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), he was nineteen.

1984, was the first year Lane qualified for the National Finals Rodeo. He rode five of the ten bulls. If he had ridden all ten bulls he would have won. Lane finished 9th in the World Standings and was 5th in the NFR earnings.

On January 5, 1985, Lane married Kellie Kyle. It was also when he taught his first bull riding class. There were ten people.

Also in 1985, Lane earned the Championship at the "Super Bull" event. On September the 6th, he was honored to be chosen for the newly formed "Winston Tour Rodeo." Lane and his team were endorsed by Copenhagen-Skoal. In the National Finals Rodeo he finished 3rd in world standings. He rode eight of the ten bulls.

In 1986, Lane was the runner up for the "Winston Tour" championship. At the Nationals Rodeo he rode nine of the ten bulls. One more bull and he would have won it. The one bull that bucked him off was Red Rock. Lane was also the NFR Average winner and 3rd in world standings. His close friend Tuff Hedeman, won the Championship.

In the beginning of 1987, Lane and Kellie moved to Quanah, TX, Kellie's home town, so she could be closer to her parents. In September, Lane won at the "Pendleton Roundup." He also won the Texas Circus Bull Riding Championship of 1987. In December, Lane became the "World Champion Bull Rider."

In 1988, he won the bronze bull riding medal at the only exhibition rodeo ever held at the Olympics. He participated in the "Challenge of the Champions," with Red Rock. It was a seven event match between Land and Red Rock, the 1987 World Champion Bucking Bull. Champion VS Champion. It was during this time that Lane and Kellie's marriage was strained and for a brief time, they were separated. Lane tried hard to get her back and she was there to see him win, "Challenge of the Champions."

In early 1989 Lane helped organize "Bullmania A Tribute to Freckles Brown." In May he rode in a charity rodeo to help raise money for Children's Medical Research Inc. and Children's Hospital of Oklahoma. In July of 1989, Lane went to Cheyenne to compete in the "Cheyenne Frontier Days" rodeo. Kellie stayed behind to work on a movie her and Lane were to work as stunt doubles in.

On July 30, 1989, Lane rode the bull "Takin' Care of Business" and completed his ride. After he had dismounted the bull and was standing on the ground, the bull charged him. Lane was hit two times by the bull, the second time by the bulls right horn, breaking his ribs and severing a main artery. Lane died within moments. He was twenty-five.

Lane was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Hugo, Oklahoma, next to his old friend and hero, Freckles Brown.

Lane was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs in August of 1990. He was also inducted into the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame, the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, as well as the Oklahoma Sports Museum.