Tuff Hedeman’s silent tribute that made a stadium weep after Lane Frost’s death
In July 1989, at Cheyenne Frontier Days, the rodeo arena changed forever. Lane Frost – the reigning bull-riding champion and beloved cowboy – died just moments after an 8-second ride. The bull, Takin’ Care of Business, struck him fatally with its horn. Lane was only 25.
One man felt the loss more than anyone: Tuff Hedeman – Lane’s best friend and fiercest rival. They had grown up together, shared rodeo dreams, and supported each other through victories and heartbreaks.
An unspoken promise
After Lane’s funeral, Tuff carried something quietly in his heart. A promise – never formally made, but deeply understood – that he would do something unforgettable to honor Lane. Just weeks after the tragedy, during the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), Tuff got on a bull. But it wasn’t just another ride. It was a tribute.
An 8-second ride… and then, silence
Tuff completed a flawless 8-second ride. Usually, the rider would dismount immediately, waving to the crowd. But this time, Tuff stayed on the bull… for another lap around the arena. And then another. The crowd fell silent. Everyone began to realize: Tuff was riding for someone else. For Lane. Each extra second on that bull was a moment of remembrance. No words. No grand gestures. Just a cowboy riding with grief, love, and memory.
The tribute that needed no words
Later, Tuff said, “I knew Lane would’ve wanted to be there. And if I could ride for both of us, I would.” That ride became one of the most emotional moments in rodeo history — a silent tribute more powerful than any eulogy. Every year since, rodeo fans remember that gesture: the ride for Lane Frost, from a friend who never truly let go.