Meet 2022-2023 Indiana High School Rodeo Queen Emilia Lane
Writer / Alli Donovan
Photography Provided
Meet Emilia Lane.
A Zionsville Community High School senior. A longtime rodeo athlete. And the 2022-2023 Indiana High School Rodeo Queen.
Lane has been in the sport for as long as she can remember. With a father who grew up on a cattle farm, it was a natural fit that she would grow up doing rodeos. She competes in the Indiana High School Rodeo Association (IHSRA) with other athletes across the state.
The IHSRA is a youth organization developed to strengthen the sport of rodeo. Open to grades nine through 12, high schoolers compete across Indiana, as well as Kentucky and Ohio, in events such as team roping, reined cow horse, light rifle, trap shooting, breakaway roping, bareback riding and many more.
Established in 1973, the association’s primary purpose is to keep the Western heritage alive in America and Indiana.
Indiana is a member of the National High School Rodeo Association, and throughout the year athletes will compete in rodeos to work towards the state finals. If participants place in the top four in their events, they’ll move on to nationals, which include rodeo teams from every single state plus areas of Canada, Mexico and even Australia.
Lane has gone to nationals the last three years.
In June of 2022 she won the Indiana High School Rodeo Queen title.
“Being queen of this association is incredibly important,” she says. “It’s being an ambassador. I have the opportunity to show the best example of rodeo-ship and the sportsmanship that comes along with it.”
Lane has many responsibilities as queen this year. In addition to competing at all the rodeos within the season, she must interact with crowds, collect sponsorships, generate funds for the association such as raffle drawings, and lead grand entries. She will then compete in team roping, barrel racing and breakaway roping.
“One of my very favorite parts about being the Indiana High School Rodeo Queen is the opportunity to give back to the sport that has given so much to me,” Lane says. “Being a good example to the future rodeo generation to come has been so fun and important to me.”
Upon graduating and completing her year-long service as queen, Lane will begin college in the fall at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. She will major in advertising communications and broadcasting. She will also continue to rodeo at the school in the Bobcat rodeo team.
The next local rodeo where community members can see Lane and her teammates compete is the Lebanon rodeo on May 13 and 14 at the Boone County 4-H Fairgrounds. This rodeo will host both high school athletes and alumni. The event will start at 6:45 p.m. Admission is $5 per person.
To get involved with IHSRA sponsorship, contact Lane at emilialane05@gmail.com, or visit inhsrodeo.com.
To see rodeo pictures and find event updates, event winners and athlete highlights, follow the IHSRA on Instagram @in.highschoolrodeo.
