story by Lily Weinacht
Lane Meairs stepped into the rodeo world several years ago and punched his ticket for his first NJHFR this summer in the bull riding. “I was pretty confident about state finals, but I was a little nervous,” says Lane, 13. He finished fourth in the state, and while Nationals didn’t go as well as he hoped, the cowboy from Manter, Kansas, says he learned from the experience. “Next year, I want to be more focused than I was, and get down and be quicker. I liked the dances out there. I like to dance and do a little bit of everything, but my favorite is probably swing dancing or slow dancing.”
Along with the KJHSRA, Lane competes in Rank Lil Buckers, and he’s adding saddle bronc steer riding and team roping to his events for junior high rodeo. He heads or heels with his dad or other family members at home. “My favorite is probably the bull riding. I like the adrenaline rush when you get down on them. My mom and dad, Kacie and Daniel, have helped me buy gear and hauled me, and bought the stock that I practice on and my horse. A rodeo clown named Dustin Glaze also helps me a lot. I got to know him through rodeo. He used to ride bulls, and I go down and work with him sometimes. He gives me a lot of tips and pointers.”
Lane can also work on his bull riding at home on several of his practice bulls. His parents help him load and run chutes, and his two cowdogs, Maverick and Croc, serve as his bullfighters. “They picked it up by instinct. As soon as I hit the ground, they jump in there,” says Lane. “I’ve never gotten horned.” On the timed event side, he rides two horses, Rambo and Jules. “I usually use Rambo. He’s 16 and a stout sorrel gelding, and my second horse I heel on is Jules. She’s 9, but she’s out right now because she’s going to have a baby. My dad trained her.”
Like his sister, Lauren, Lane showed steers and pigs for several years, but is focusing solely on rodeo now and works with his dad every day on their ranch. “I help with anything that needs to be done. We have a pasture in Colorado we go to about once a week to check on cattle. We’re about five minutes from the state line. Two Butte’s Mountain is on our pasture, and it has curves and valleys and trees—it’s just full of life.” He uses some of the money he makes working on the ranch to buy parts for the 2000 Dodge V10 with a six-inch lift kit he’s repairing right now. “I mostly work on it on my own, but my dad helps me sometimes. I mainly either want to go into professional rodeo, or have my own garage. I love working on my vehicles,” says Lane, who’s also helping a friend repair a 2010 Chevy.
He starts eighth grade at Stanton County High School this month, where he enjoys shop class and playing football on the school’s team, the Trojans. “I play halfback and middle linebacker. All the weights help with both football and rodeo. Conditioning with football helps you stay in shape for rodeo, and the toughness of rodeo helps you with football,” he explains. “My rodeo goal is that first-place prize, and just getting every ride down and spot-on.”
