Lane Gilbreath is a calf rider in the KJRA. He rode sheep for three years in the association and has progressed to calf riding. “My dad rode bulls and that’s what interested me in rodeo,” says the 10-year-old from Emporia, Kan. Lane’s dad, Mike Gilbreath, coaches him in calf riding, and Lane says, “I look up to my dad – he’s my role model.” Lane has several friends that compete in the KJRA as well. “I think it’s fun (rodeo), and it’s a good sport.”
Lane lives with his parents, Mike and Tracy Gilbreath, in the country outside of Emporia, Kan. Lane also has an older sister, Bailey. “We have a dog and a cat and a horse,” Lane says. His horse, a mare named Maggie, has won Grand Champion Mare at the Chase County Fair for two years, 2012 and 2013. Lane competes in saddle club shodeos during the summer in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, and flag racing. In 2013 he was the All-Around Cowboy in the 7 – 9 age division in the Burlinggame Saddle Club series, and the Reserve All-Around Cowboy in the Eagle Creek Saddle Club/Olpe Downhome Days.
The Gilbreath family enjoys hunting together in the winter, as well as playing darts, cards, and checkers. During the rest of the year, they are busy rodeoing and helping their neighbors haul hay and work cattle. Lane also loves to play catch with his dad and he spends a great deal of time roping the dummy, as well as practicing for his event on the mechanical bull. In his spare time, Lane enjoys reading the I Survived historical series by Lauren Tarshis, and listening to Red Dirt.
Lane is a fifth grader at Chase County Elementary School, where he was on the A honor roll last school year. His two favorite subjects are math and social studies. “In math I like multiplying and dividing and doing fractions, and in social studies we’re learning about Native Americans and explorers.” Lane loves to play sports, and he plays on his school’s football, basketball, and baseball teams. He is also very active in 4-H. His projects this year are horse, goats, shooting sports, and welding. Lane has been in 4-H for four years, and this will be his first year in the goat project. For his welding project last year, Lane made a table that he was very pleased with. His grandpa also welds and they enjoy working together. At the Chase County Fair, Lane has been the Grand Champion in the Shooting Sport – BB Gun for two years in a row.
During the 2013 KJRA rodeo season, Lane finished third in the 7 – 9 calf riding. What he is most excited about is competing in steer riding in 2014. It will be the first year that he can compete in the event. “I want to try to win first place in the KJRA in steer riding,” he says. Lane is sure that he wants to keep rodeoing as he gets older, and his motto for riding roughstock is, “If you ride, you ride, and if you buck off, you get back on!”
