story by Lily Weinacht
“There’s no sport like rodeo,” says Emilia Lane. “Some of my closest friends live six hours away, so you get to meet people from all different parts of the state. And rodeo is a sport that’s been done for hundreds of years, so there’s a tradition there.” The 13-year-old from Colorado Springs, Colorado, joined in the rodeo tradition when she was three, the third generation of her family to compete. She competes in the CJHSRA in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, breakaway roping, and ribbon roping, and also keeps her horses running through the winter at jackpots, barrel races, and gymkhanas. “I love goat tying because it’s kind of a different spin on the sport—it’s not completely on the horse, and it has lots of variables. Breakaway is a really quick event so I enjoy the speed of it and that it’s a singular roping event.”
Emilia’s grandpa Don Lane and her dad, Casey Lane, both college rodeoed for California Polytechnic State University, and give her tips in the practice pen. “My grandpa really has inspired me, and he always pushes me to do my best. My older cousins Calvin and Ryan also have always been there to help me, like when my dad’s on a business trip and they’re helping me in the arena,” says Emilia. “I’m very thankful that I met a lot of my idols. I’ve been to two Charmayne James’ barrel racing clinics. She’s helped me a lot with my current barrel horse and getting her finished. Hailey Kinsel is my favorite barrel racer and I love her effort and her horse, and Jess Lockwood, who is a PBR bull rider. He has lots of try and will and it inspires me to do my best.”
For barrel racing and pole bending, Emilia rides her 13-year-old mare, Rose. “She’s my dad’s head horse that I turned into a barrel horse,” Emilia explains. “I’ve grown up with her, so me and her have a special bond.” She rides a 15-year-old gelding, JD, in breakaway roping and goat tying, and Emilia’s 6-year-old brother, Knox, also loves riding JD. “I usually help him with that, and my other brother, Craig (12), and I go on trail rides together and we brand together too, mainly for neighbors and family in California and Colorado.” Before Emilia and her parents, Casey and Kate, and her siblings moved to Colorado from California several years ago, she rodeoed in districts, but she loves competing statewide in Colorado. “I’ve seen some really cool places. My favorites are probably Cortez and Craig because they’re three-day rodeos and there’s always stuff to do.”
Emilia uses her time on the road to finish homework. An eighth-grade student at Cheyenne Mountain Junior High, she enjoys math and science, particularly biology. “Since I was really little I’ve wanted to become a large-animal vet,” says Emilia, who also runs track and plays rugby on both her school’s team and a club team. Additionally, she shows steers and heifers in 4-H, and loves skiing with her cousins and going on hikes with her family and their dogs. Emilia also goes to visit her Aunt Lisa in California several times a year, who owns horses as well. “Last time I was back, I got on my grandpa’s 2 year old that I put a couple of the first rides on.”
Emilia’s rodeo skills have earned her more than 20 buckles thus far, and an all-around saddle, won in 2015 in the KCRC. She won her favorite buckle in 2012, pole bending on her favorite horse, Cupcake. The buckle for the West Coast Junior Rodeo Year-End Champion is in memory of one of her best friend’s aunts, Mary Kuhnle, who didn’t have kids but cheered everyone on like they were her own. “I’d like to hopefully make it to Nationals this year, and later on get another trophy saddle,” Emilia finishes. “And I hope to go to college at Cal Poly and compete on their rodeo team.”
