Lane Frost
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Lane Frost (October 12, 1963 in La Junta, Colorado – July 30, 1989 in Cheyenne, Wyoming) was a professional bull rider and Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association member, who died as a result of injuries sustained in the arena at the 1989 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo seconds after he dismounted his bull "Taking Care of Business," and was later taken off the riding circuit.
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Early life
Frost was born in La Junta, Colorado, the son of Clyde and Elsie Frost. He spent his childhood in Vernal, Utah, and his teenage years in Lane, Oklahoma. He showed an interest in rodeo at the age of three, and began riding calves when he was ten. He was taught the art of riding by his father and also his good friend Freckles Brown, who was a World Champion Bull Rider. In Oklahoma, he was the National High School Bull Riding Champion in 1981. Frost was the Bull Riding Champion of the first Youth National Finals held in Fort Worth, Texas, held in 1982. On January 5, 1985, he married Kellie Kyle, a barrel racer from Quanah, Texas.
Professional career
Frost joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and began rodeoing full time after graduating from high school in 1982. In 1987, he realized a lifelong dream when he became the PRCA World Champion Bull Rider at the age of 24. That same year, the great bull "Red Rock," owned by Growney Bros. Rodeo Company, was voted Bucking Bull of the Year. In 309 attempts, no one had ever ridden "Red Rock," and in 1988, at the Challenge of Champions, Frost rode "Red Rock" in seven exhibition matches and was successful in four out of seven tries. Frost went on to compete at the Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This was the first time that an exhibition rodeo was held at the Olympics.
Death and Legacy
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On July 30, 1989, at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming, after completing a successful 91-point ride on a bull named Taking Care of Business, Frost landed in the mud. The bull turned and hit him in the side with his horn, breaking ribs and severing a main artery. Lane initially rose to his feet and began running toward the bucking chutes. However, as he was motioning for help, he collapsed. Lane died on the arena floor due to excessive internal bleeding before he could be transported to the hospital. Frost finished 3rd in the event. Taking Care of Business went on to appear in the 1990 National Finals Rodeo.
Frost is buried next to his hero and mentor Freckles Brown at Olivet Cemetery in Hugo, Oklahoma. The Lane Frost Health and Rehabilitation Center in Hugo, Oklahoma is dedicated to his memory. His parents live in Lane, Oklahoma, and travel to many rodeos around the country giving speeches in his memory.
Frost was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado in August 1990. In 1994, the biopic movie 8 Seconds was released based on Frost's life story. Luke Perry portrayed Frost in the movie. After Lane's untimely death, Cody Lambert, one of his traveling partners, and a founder of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), created the protective vest that most professional cowboys now wear when riding bulls. Frost's best friend, Tuff Hedeman, later helped found the PBR along with Lambert and others and served as president of the PBR a number of years. Hedeman later went on to found Championship Bull Riders (CBR). The medical team for the CBR is named after Frost.
Frost has been inducted into the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame, the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, as well as the Oklahoma Sports Museum. Country music star Garth Brooks paid tribute to Frost in his music video for the hit single "The Dance" and wrote the song "The Beaches of Cheyenne" about Frost. The nu metal band KoRn paid tribute to Frost in their music video for the song "Hold On".
