1983

In high school Lane was offered rodeo scholarships, 
but he decided to pursue a professional bull riding career.

In 1983, he received full membership in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association,
(PRCA), at the age of 19.

He finished 16th in the standings. The top 15 finishers are qualified to compete
in the National Finals Rodeo. 
The 15th qualifier was Jacky Gibbs, Lane's traveling partner at that time.

Lane almost made it in the Finals when Charlie Sampson, the defending champion was injured.
However, Charlie decided to compete. Lane was named "Rookie of the Year" runner up.

Lane also competed in the 1983 "Super Bull" competition in Del Rio, TX.
At "Super Bull" he received the "Tough Luck" award for his bone-jarring, but unsuccessful efforts.

And also in 1983, Lane was the PRCA Prairie Circuit Bull Riding Champion.

1984

In 1984 he talked his dad into letting him build a bull riding arena on the 
family's ranch. Lane and his father designed the area to be both an arena and
a place to work on the animals.

1984 was the first year Lane qualified for the National Finals Rodeo.

He would qualify every year from now until his death in 1989.

He would also be one of the top 15 bull riders for the next 5 consecutive years until his death.

1988 - $ 74,700 - #6
1987 - $105,697 - #1
1986 - $104,128 - #3
1985 - $ 87,100 - #3
1984 - $ 50,688 - #9

Lifetime PRCA Earnings: $489,736

In the 1984 Finals, Lane rode 5 out of 10 bulls. He finished 9th in the World Standings and
was 5th in NFR earnings.

On January 5, 1985, he married Kellie Kyle at the United Methodist Church
in Quanah, TX. The reception was held at the church also.

In 1985 he also taught his first bull riding class, a class of 10, at the arena
he built.
Lane not only loved to ride bulls, he loved to help others that wanted
to learn how to ride.
.

What Mr. T's owner, Pete Burns, was quoted as saying:

"At the Casper Pro Tour Rodeo last fall, Lane Frost rode Mr. T for about four or five seconds.
Then he bucked him off. It looked as if the bull bucked harder those last few seconds 
than he had ever bucked in his life."
.

Remember Lane winning the "Tough Luck" Award at the "Super Bull" competition in Del Rio, TX
in 1983?

In 1985 Lane earned the Championship at the "Super Bull" event, also known as the
"George Paul Memorial Bull Riding Competition".

You deserved it, Lane. We were proud of you!

On September 6th, 1985, Lane was honored to be one of the 136 top rodeo competitors chosen
for the newly-formed "Winston Tour Rodeo".

The "Winston Tour Rodeo" was something different than ever tried before. It was a
national series of competitions showcasing only the top athletes of pro rodeo.

The events were held for 4 days, (Thursday through Sunday),
and gave fans a chance to meet and get to know the contestants.
ESPN carried telecasts of events around the country.

Major sponsors endorsed 8 member "teams". Lane's team was endorsed by Copenhagen-Skoal.
The tour created new enthusiasm and excitement for pro rodeo, as fans began to know the competitors
and develop loyalties.

In the 1985 National Finals Rodeo, Lane finished 3rd  in world standings and 2nd in NFR earnings.
He rode 8 out of 10 bulls, Red Rock being one of the bulls that bucked him off.

1988 - $ 74,700 - #6
1987 - $105,697 - #1
1986 - $104,128 - #3
1985 - $ 87,100 - #3
1984 - $ 50,688 - #9

Lifetime PRCA Earnings: $489,736

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.

1986

In 1986 Lane was the "Winston Tour" Bull Riding Champion runner up.

He also was co-champion of the "Super Bull" event along with his friend Tuff Hedeman.

In March, he competed in "The World's Toughest Rodeo" in Oklahoma City, 
along with Ted Nuce and Tuff Hedeman.

1988 - $ 74,700 - #6
1987 - $105,697 - #1
1986 - $104,128 - #3
1985 - $ 87,100 - #3
1984 - $ 50,688 - #9

Lifetime PRCA Earnings: $489,736
.

1987

Lane moved to Quanah, TX. (Kellie's home town) although for awhile
he continued to use Lane, OK. as his "official" home address.
His parents still lived there and he was working with his Dad there.

(At the time of his death, Lane was working on building his own ranch with Kellie.
They had picked out a piece of property near Marietta, OK, almost half-way 
between Lane's parents and Kellie's parents. It was important to Lane to continue
to be able to help his father with their ranch.)

In September of 1987, Lane won the bull-riding at the "Pendleton Round Up", even though he had
broken his collarbone in August at the Elks PRCA Rodeo in Seminole, OK.

He also competed in the "Oklahoma State Fair Rodeo" in September.
and was the Texas Circuit Bull Riding Champion of 1987.

But the moment Lane worked for all his life came when he became the "World Champion Bull Rider"
in Dec. of 1987 at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, NV.

As his father, Clyde Frost said, "It wasn't 'if' he became World Champion to Lane, it was 'when'."

Lane rode 8 out of 10 bulls, and placed second in NFR earnings.

Unfortunately, his good friend Freckles Brown did not live to see this,
he died in March of 1987, after a four year battle with cancer.
.

If he stayed on for the 8 seconds, he won the Championship.

Lane had a friend named Lee who also was a bull rider from Oklahoma.
Lee was in an automobile accident, and was paralyzed and used a wheelchair.

Lane made it possible for Lee to attend the 1987 Finals by paying  all of Lee's expenses,
(plane ticket, hotel and meals).

In an interview after the 1987 Finals, Lane said,
.
"The last few years I set a goal of finishing in the top five.
This year it was to be World Champion. I always told myself that if I could be a World Champion,
I'd be a good one. And that's what I've got big plans to do."

Lane also credited three men for his success:

"Freckles (Brown) and my Dad are the greatest teachers I ever had.
They got me started the right way. Donnie (Gay) came along and put the icing on the cake."

It was in an interview right after the finals that Lane said his famous quote,

"Don't be afraid to go after what you want to do, and what you want to be.
But don't be afraid to be willing to pay the price."

The new World Champion didn't rest though. Before December was over, 
Lane competed in the seventh annual
"Heart of America Bull Riding Championship" in Shawnee, OK.

1988 - $ 74,700 - #6
1987 - $105,697 - #1
1986 - $104,128 - #3
1985 - $ 87,100 - #3
1984 - $ 50,688 - #9

Lifetime PRCA Earnings: $489,736

1988

1988 was a busy year for Lane.
In February, he competed with the U.S. Rodeo Team at the only exhibition
rodeo ever held at the Olympics.
(Winter Olympics, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.)
He won the bronze bull riding medal, and the U. S. Team won the gold.

And was knocked unconscious for almost 5 minutes after one of his rides!

Lane accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior on March 8, 1988.

April, May, June and July of 1988 he participated in the
"Challenge of the Champions" with the bull Red Rock.

It was a seven event match-up between Lane, the 1987
World Champion Bull Rider and Red Rock, the 1987
World Champion Bucking Bull.

Red Rock was retired after the 1987 Finals.
He never had a rider stay on for the full eight seconds in 309 attempts
in his professional rodeo career.
(For more on this great story, see my "Red Rock" Page).

During 1988 Lane and Kellie's marriage was strained, Kellie wanted 
Lane home more and to start a family, Lane wanted to continue focusing
on his rodeo career and win another World Championship.

For a brief time they did separate, but Lane worked hard to win Kellie back,
and she was there to see him win the "Challenge of the Champions."

Also in 1988 Lane and Tuff Hedeman were invited by Copenhagen/Skoal
to try unridden bulls at the Hawaiian Professional Championship Rodeo
held in Waimanalo, Hawaii on June 17, 18 and 19.

Both Lane and Tuff rode their bulls.

In February of 1988 Lane, Ted Nuce, and Tuff Hedeman competed in the
"Rodeo 1988 Challenge Cup", an event held in conjunction with the Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada.

Lane won the bronze medal, and the US Team won the gold. See the medal and buckle Lane won on the 
Buckles page.

Lane was also knocked out for five minutes after one of his rides!

March 1988 found Lane winning the Dodge National Circuit Finals in Pocatello, Id.

April, May, June and July of 1988 Lane was in the
"Challenge of the Champions" with Red Rock.

Lane still continued to compete in the regular rodeos, also riding Red Rock at the selected events.
(For the complete story on this match up, see my "Red Rock" Page.)
Or continue reading about Lane's rodeo days below.

At the 1988 National Rodeo Finals, Lane rode 7 out of 10 bulls and
finished fifth in NFR earnings and sixth in the world standings.

1988 - $ 74,700 - #6
1987 - $105,697 - #1
1986 - $104,128 - #3
1985 - $ 87,100 - #3
1984 - $ 50,688 - #9

Lifetime PRCA Earnings: $489,736

1989

Lane felt that he lost his focus in 1988,
and in the 1989 PRCA's handbook,
next to his picture and statistics, he states:

"I slacked up a little bit last year,
but this year I sure would like to win the World again.
There's less pressure now, and I'm feeling good about
going after another title."

In early 1989, Lane was proud to help organize
"Bullmania A Tribute to Freckles Brown", a bull riding event held
in Guthrie, OK. in honor of his friend.

The arena was sold out for the bull riding only event.
It was around this time that Lane and Tuff and a few others started
thinking about creating what would eventually become the
"Professional Bull Riders"

Clint Branger, a traveling partner of Lane's, won that  inaugural "Bullmania".
Clint still competes today.

In the event, Lane wore the #2.

No one could predict that, the very next year, 1990,  #2 would be
retired in Lane's memory, and hung on a gate chute.

And the event would be renamed:

"Bullmania, A Tribute to Freckles Brown and Lane Frost."

However, because there was a problem with the name
"Bullmania" (it might have been a copyright problem), in 1991 the event name
was changed to:

"Bullnanza, a Tribute to Freckles Brown and Lane Frost"

and is still held at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie.

Lane rides in a rodeo in early 1989.

In February 1989, Lane helped put
together, and participated in
"Bullmania, A Tribute to Freckles Brown."
in Guthrie, OK.

In the event, Lane wore the #2.
No one could predict that, the very next year, 1990, 
#2 would be retired in Lane's memory,
and hung on a gate chute.

And the event would be renamed:

"Bullmania, A Tribute to Freckles Brown and Lane Frost."

However, because there was a problem with the name
"Bullmania" (it might have been a copyright problem),
in 1991the event name was changed to:

"Bullnanza, a Tribute to Freckles Brown and Lane Frost"

and is still held at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie.

n May of 1989, Lane rode in a charity rodeo to help raise money for the
Children's Medical Research, Inc. and Children's Hospital of Oklahoma.

In July of 1989, Lane and his wife Kellie were going to work as
stunt doubles on the movie, "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys",
about a bull rider that comes home to Oklahoma.
Lane was also to have a small speaking role in the movie.

But first Lane took some time to go to Cheyenne, Wyoming to compete in the
"Cheyenne Frontier Days" Rodeo.

Kellie stayed behind to start work on the movie.
It was the first Cheyenne Frontier Days she did not attend.
.

George said to Lane,

"But you just had to give
the crowd a thrill with that dismount!"

(Lane had somersaulted over the tail
of the bull at the end of his ride.)

And Lane replied, in words that would become
truer than anyone could imagine in only four days,

"Well, I don't always ride that good,
but I can usually get off pretty exciting
or do something afterwards."

He died within moments.
.
(The "Cheyenne 1989" page tells the complete story.)