World Champion Bull Rider Lane Frost left an impression on the rodeo world and beyond. Before that, Lane’s father Clyde and Uncle Joe competed. Clyde was at the very first National Finals Rodeo held in Dallas in 1959.
These days, the name has once again taken its familiar place at the top of Pro Rodeo standings with brothers Joe and Josh Frost.
“We spent all our time ranching and riding horses, so for us, the only sport we knew was rodeo,” explains Joe Frost, 22. He was named after his grandfather.
The brothers grew up in Randlett, Utah on the family ranch where their dad Shane, Lane’s cousin, raises cattle and is a rep for Superior Livestock Auction. Their mother, Lisa, works for the school and water board. Joe and Josh are close with their family and have two siblings, Jate, 13 and Jacelyn, 10, who compete in junior rodeo.
Shane competed in All-Around events, and he taught his sons to do the same. They have an arena steps from their back door with roping and bucking chutes, so practice was always a part of the Frost game plan.
Now, all of that practice is paying off.
Joe went into the 2014 NFR sitting No. 11 and left No. 2 in the world. He won two rounds of the 10-round marathon.
This year he was also awarded the Linderman Award for his All-Around achievements in bull riding, tie-down roping and steer wrestling and won the bull riding championship at the College National Finals. He and Josh are both students on the college rodeo team for Oklahoma Panhandle State University.
For Josh, 19, who got on his first calf around the age of 4 to prove to a reluctant Joe that he was braver, the year has been a successful effort to qualify for the Wilderness Circuit Finals in tie-down roping and bull riding. The brothers finished first and second in the circuit for both All-Around and bull riding.
Josh, who was on his permit this year, explains he was having a rough couple of months going into the summer and even went home to work the ranch and spend time in the practice pen before a winning streak at the Pro-rodeos after the Fourth of July. That streak pushed Josh to the No. 1 spot in permit standings in bull riding for the year.
Having his brother leading the way has helped Josh navigate his first year in the PRCA, but the two also help each other in the way of friendly competition.
“There’s a lot of competitive edge there. I think we make each other better, and it helps me a lot just having him,” Josh says.
Joe echoes this sentiment. “Not very many people can handle me and him, because we’re pretty hard on each other,” he laughs and adds, “but we get along really good.”
Joe, who calls the NFR a dream come true, went to 81 rodeos this season leading up to Vegas. He takes pride in the work and hauling it takes to qualify.
“Making the NFR and winning a world title, there’s a lot more that goes into it than just riding bulls,” Joe says.
Josh explains that competing against guys he’s looked up to is a humbling experience.
“Ever since I was a little kid, I always knew this was what I wanted to do. Now that I’m out there doing it, sometimes I just can’t believe it.”
For Joe, seeing fans’ reactions has an impact.
“There are little kids coming back there behind the chutes. They’re so excited to be at the rodeo. They didn’t care that I got bucked off. It’s great to be involved in something so many people want to be a part of.”
Carrying on the family tradition of rodeo is a strong theme for the brothers. Joe is quick to say his first hero was his dad. “Dad was a cowboy, and I just wanted to be just like him.”
They credit their family for their support of their rodeo careers.
That’s whom Joe honored at his buckle presentations after his round wins at the NFR.
“The first one, I gave that belt buckle to my dad. He’s been my number one hero my entire life, and he’s taught me everything I know. [The second] one will go to Craig Latham, my rodeo coach,” he says.
Joe wears patches supporting Latham’s fight against cancer. “These patches are support for him and his family and the people in Goodwell, Oklahoma.”
Though Josh had finals to take at school and couldn’t be out in Vegas the whole time, great-uncle and aunt Clyde and Elsie Frost, Lane’s parents, were there rooting Joe on.
“To us, it’s just a thrill,” Elsie says of the fact that rodeo has continued in their family. “We’re very proud of Joe and Josh.”
She adds that the rodeo world should keep an eye out for their younger siblings too.
After all, it’s tradition.
