July 30, 1989, was the darkest day in CFD history. Legendary bull rider Lane Frost died after a tragic accident in the rodeo arena.

Frost had just completed an 85-point ride on the bull Takin' Care Of Business. When he landed in the dirt, the bull's horn struck Frost in the back, breaking several ribs and severing an artery. The 1987 World Champion originally got back on his feet and motioned for help, then went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

In 1990, Frost was posthumously inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. To commemorate the tenth anniversary of his death, he was inducted to the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame in 1999.

Since his death, Frost has been the subject of many memorials. In 1990, Garth Brooks honored Frost in the video for the song "The Dance". The 1994 movie 8 Seconds was based on his life. Perhaps the most important tribute came from Frost's longtime friend Cody Lambert, who designed a protective vest that is now required at all PRCA events.

Although Lane has been gone for over 30 years, a new generation is carrying on the Frost family legacy. Lane's second cousin Joe Frost, who was born three years after he died, returned to Cheyenne in 2019 competing in the PBR Last Cowboy Standing Event.

“I think about Lane all the time, he's one of my heroes," Joe told PBR.com. "I never knew anything else. I thought when you grew up you’re supposed to ride bulls. I wasn’t a kid that wanted to be a football player one day, or a basketball player, or president, or a firefighter, whatever. I wanted to be a bull rider and a cowboy, like my family."

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