Lucas Camac proved to be no underdog in the Central Plains Rodeo Association (CePRA) as he climbed the ladder from sitting sixth in the standings to finishing out the year as the reserve champion steer wrestler. A second place in the first-go, followed by a first place finish in the second-go, found Lucas leading the average heading into the third-round of the Finals, but luck of the draw seemed to be the cause of missing his last steer. “It’s part of the game we play,” was his explanation. The unfortunate last round incident didn’t play too big of a role on the bulldogger as he took third in the aggregate race with an 8.5 on two head and brought his year-end winnings to about $400 from the top hole. “I had a pretty decent finals and was happy with the results,” he said.
The youngest of three boys, Lucas has been a member of the CePRA for six years. “It’s a good association. The finals pay decent and the winter rodeos allow for contestants to keep going throughout the year,” he said of the organization. The five-time CePRA Finals qualifier can most often be found traveling with his steer dogging older brothers (Cole and Travis), who also compete in the association. “My brothers are always my first option to travel with and we travel together when we can, but sometimes we are going in different directions and we have to jump in with someone else,” he said. In these instances, Lucas hops in with the 2013 CePRA steer wrestling champ, Shane Henderson.
Rodeo has been handed down through the family, starting with his grandfather (Norman Hazeleaker), who was a bull rider. From there, Lucas’ two uncles (Mike and Doug) found their love from two separate ends of the arena and while Mike rode bulls and bareback horses, Doug was a bulldogger and calf roper. The love for competition wasn’t left to the boys, as Lucas’ mother (Carol) competed in the barrel racing and showed horses. “My Granddad was a big part of rodeo and it was passed down to his kids and now all of his grandkids,“ said Lucas. Surrounded by the rodeo way of life, Lucas got his start through Norman during the summer of his eighth grade year. “Granddad let me jump my first steer in the practice pen,” he remembered. Progression in the event found Lucas competing in the National High School Rodeo Association and later getting a rodeo scholarship to Northwestern Oklahoma State University, where he was a member of the Rangers rodeo team for four years and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Health and Sports Science Education. Currently, Lucas’ associations are split between the CePRA and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), where he has been a member since 2007. “Rodeo has been a part of me for a long time and I just love the sport,” is his reason for competing.
The Rose Hill, Kans., cowboy makes his living within the second-crop program of ADM Alliance Nutrition and is looking forward to a future with his fiancé Jacey Andrews. An all-around cowgirl, competing in the barrel racing and breakaway roping will help to carry on the family tradition as a card holder of the CePRA. The couple of set the date for May 24, 2014.
Halfway through the 2013 season, Lucas switched his steed to his 12-year old horse (Maverick). “I’ve had him for a while and he was started as a heading horse, but he has gotten more solid and proved to be a winner,” said Lucas. Now with the horsepower under him, Lucas hopes to get in enough circuit rodeos to qualify for the Prairie Circuit Finals, within the PRCA, next season. “I would like to give it a legitimate shot,” he said of one goal. Nonetheless, his sights are still set within the CePRA and he has targeted the year-end saddle. “I would definitely like to win it,” he said.