story by Lindsay Humphrey
By definition, Laura Lambert was born into rodeo. Both her parents competed professionally; her dad, Dale Motley, primarily in calf roping and her mom, Jody Motley, as a barrel racer. “Rodeo has always been a constant in my life; I started going to jackpots with my mom when I was really little and I’ve been riding for as long as I can remember,” said Laura who now lives in Wiggins, Colorado, with her husband Ricky and two boys, Brayden and Boedy. “I got my permit when I was in high school because I had a really nice horse that I knew was tough enough to run pro.” Laura’s dad was still running down the road to PRCA events, so she just hopped in with him. They traveled together for several years crisscrossing the country.
“We got to do a lot of things together, so I had someone to show me the ropes. They taught me how to use ProCOM and how to enter, how to pick my rodeos and be smart about where I went.” Laura started doing well right away and quickly filled her permit. “I even made the Mountain States Circuit finals the first year I had my card.” Laura’s been a familiar face at those circuit finals, qualifying 18 times in her career and winning it twice. “I’m old enough that the only thing I could do professionally was run barrels if I wanted to stick with rodeo. I’ve always loved good barrel horses and rodeo. I can also say I really loved cutting.” In high school, Laura was the state champion cutter three years running. Pursuing cutting as a career was enticing, but barrels won out in the end.
Fourteen-year-old Boedy is Laura’s youngest and he’s now a freshman in high school. “I think my son is as dedicated as I ever was, and he works harder than any kid I know. Cutting is just a side event for him. He likes it, but it’s mostly because I like it.” Just like his dad, Boedy is a talented calf roper and heeler. While Laura trains barrel horses for both herself and the public, Ricky does the same with calf horses. “My husband started going to senior pros when he was 40 and I didn’t go for a long time. He kept hounding me about it, so I finally gave in about three years ago. After first I was just doing the ribbons with him, but then I figured I might as well start hauling horses if I was going anyways.”
Laura’s parents were in the NSPRA back when it was still known as the Old Timer’s Association. The NSPRA has been a big change of pace for both Laura and Ricky, in a good way. “At pro rodeos, we just pull in to compete and then head out. The NSPRA is much more laid back and I get to go with my husband, so that’s nice. Sometimes we can’t go together when we pro rodeo because we’re up at different places.” At the 2022 NSFR, Laura put two new titles in her pocket: average champion in the 40 and over barrels and in the 40-59 ribbon roping with Ricky.
Not only does Laura keep busy at home with horses to work, but she’s also burning up the road to compete in the WPRA, CPRA, NSRA, WSRA, NSPRA, Better Barrel Races and jackpots. Laura is blessed to be backed by a team of great sponsors and veterinarians to keep her mounts firing on all cylinders. She wouldn’t be able to compete at this elite level without them and she wouldn’t want to try. “The truth is rodeo’s in my blood. It’s what I’ve always done. And there’s something about horses in general, if you’re having a bad day, they can make you feel better even without getting on them.” As a trainer first and foremost, watching a top-notch barrel horse perform and function at their peak gives Laura goosebumps. Even more so when it’s a horse she trained. “I like to see them come along and be successful and know I had a hand in that. I train and sell a lot of horses and there isn’t much that makes me feel better than when a customer is doing well on a horse that I’ve trained.”
