FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                    March 12, 2008

MOTHER OF LANE FROST TO SHARE INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE AT NORTHWESTERN

            Elsie Frost, mother of Oklahoma’s own bull riding champion Lane Frost, will be at Northwestern Oklahoma State University Tuesday, March 25, to share an inspirational message about the life of her late son. She will be speaking at 7 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom. The presentation is free and open to the public.

            The 25-year-old Lane died July 30, 1989, following a tragic bull riding incident at the Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days Rodeo. On the last day of competition, he had successfully completed the eight second ride in the wet and muddy arena on the bull “Takin’ Care of Business” and dismounted to the left as he normally would. He fell to the ground and was unable to gain traction in the slick mud to get away from the charges of the 2,000 pound animal. The injuries sustained from the blows of the bull were too much to overcome, and Lane lost his life doing what he loved best, only seconds after scoring high enough to place third in the event.

            A movie about his life, “8 Seconds” starring Luke Perry, came out in 1994. Some of information in the movie was accurate, but some was not. Two of the most disappointing inaccuracies, according to family, are that the movie suggests Lane and his father Clyde had a strained relationship, which they did not, but it made for “good Hollywood theatrics,” and the movie never mentioned that Lane was a Christian.

            As part of Elsie’s presentation, she shares that Lane accepted Christ as his personal savior right before he was killed in Cheyenne. She has been quoted in many articles as saying “if people remember one thing about Lane, we want it to be that he was a kind person and knew Jesus.”

            During her presentation, she will share other inaccuracies from the movie, as well as information about him winning the Bull Riding National Championship in 1987, and becoming the first person ever to ride the bull “Red Rock” during “The Challenge of the Champions.” Through a seven-event match-up in three different states over the course of four months, Lane would ride the bull four times. His first successful ride came on May 20, 1988, in Redding, Calif., winning the “Challenge” on July 25, 1988, in Spanish Fork, Utah, almost exactly one year prior to his untimely death. Elsie will show film clips of some of his various rides.

            Elsie said she does not claim to be a professional speaker, but she feels that she’s been called to share her testimony about her son. She said that although there are inaccuracies in the movie, it has allowed the family to tell Lane’s story, and tell about his salvation.

            Lane’s parents also pay tribute to their son’s memory by giving out free Bibles to anyone in the audience who wishes to receive one. The Bible, which is named the “Cowboy Bible, The Living New Testament,” has a drawing of Lane riding a bull on the cover.

            Since 1978, the Frosts have lived in Lane, Okla., where they own and operate the Frost Ranch. In June 2006, the Frost family opened up their ranch and the arena where Lane used to practice so that 37 students of varying ages could attend the First Annual Lane Frost Memorial Christian Bull Riding School. This year’s school will be June 10-12 and will be open to 20 students in bull and steer riding and eight in bull fighting. The school also is seeking active rodeo contestants who are Christians to pair up with the students and keep in contact with them as mentors.

Lane is a graduate of Atoka High School. His funeral took place in the Atoka Baptist Church, and he was laid to rest in the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Hugo.

Northwestern’s Baptist Student Union is sponsoring Elsie’s visit after Dr. Sharon Hill, professor of English, visited with BSU director Larry Justice.

“I heard [Elsie] speak at a Christian Women’s Weekend last fall in Atoka, and I just thought our students and community would like to hear what she has to say,” Hill said.

"Anyone who has had any experience or connection with rodeo since the mid-1980s would know the name of Lane Frost,” Justice said. “…Whether a person is a fan of rodeo or not, hearing Elsie Frost should be an experience that will impact the lives of every person who attends."

Questions about the event should be directed to Hill at (580) 327-8473.

-NW-

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