Remembering cowboys from 35 years ago

Just 21, newly married, he wasn't quite 6-foot tall and he wasn't close to 150 pounds. Lane Frost loved riding bulls.

The Pro Rodeo official media guide in 1985 gave us a glimpse of his passion for the sport.

"My dad was still competing when I was about three," he told promoters for the guide.

"Mom says I'd always fight to stay awake for the bull riding. And if we'd leave before that, I would really throw a fit."

Frost finished eighth among bull riders in the 1984 National Finals Rodeo, earning $10,710. He was ninth in the overall standings that year, earning more than $50,000.

He began 1985 by getting married to Kellie Kyle, a barrel racer from the Texas Panhandle.

The media guide also tells us he was born in Colorado, he was runner-up rookie of the year in 1983 and he was the high school bull riding champion in 1981.

The rising stars of rodeo in 1985 are mostly long-since retired today. Some have died, of course, including the legendary Frost, killed by a bull at age 25.

For those who like remembering, here are some quotes from cowboys with local ties gleaned from that media guide published 35 years ago:

• "Every steer, whether it be at the National Finals or during a regular-season rodeo, makes me nervous. I don't lose sleep over the competition or anything, but the butterflies definitely are there every time." - Lovington steer roper Guy Allen.

• "Ike Rude won the world when he was 59. I guess I've got a lot of time yet." - Steer roper Walt Arnold of Silverton, Texas, who was only 47 in 1985. (Arnold also won the world title in 1969)

• "If there weren't any rodeos to compete in, I would still be roping calves. I like it that much." - Calf roper Clay Tom Cooper of Monument, New Mexico.

• "You can bet I will keep practicing and keep working to improve in all aspects of my game until I lay down this rope for good." - Eight-time calf-roping champion Roy Cooper, who grew up in Hobbs.

• "I love competition and winning." - Lovington steer roper Charley Price.

• "I've made a lot of nice friends in rodeo. I don't know anything else I could have done where I could have gone to so many places, met so many people, and made this kind of money. I love it." - Bareback and saddle bronc rider Buddy Reynolds of Slaton, Texas.

David Stevens writes about regional history. Contact him at:

[email protected]

For more local history, see:

pagespast.net