Laura Mote came into the Women’s Rodeo World Championships in 2023 knowing that she had to be smooth and fast through out the entire event if she wanted that title. She was on her great horse Red Bull when they added their names to the history books at the historic Cowtown Coliseum.
“I knew I had to be as fast as I possibly could and I also had to win the Semi-Finals in order to win the world. So that would probably call for an arena record since one was already set and so, yeah, I told Red Bull when we were back there that I need his fastest run that he could make and he ended up breaking the arena record and ran a 12.9,” Mote said.
It is a fairy tale story and one that Mote will not repeat on Red Bull this year as the big sorrel is currently sidelined with an injury. In his place, Mote is running a young mare she calls Frenchy.
“I trained her and this is her futurity year, she’s only five so she has way less time competing than Red Bull does. She’s done really good, she’s excelled at everything I’ve asked her to do and we’ve stayed consistent,” she said.
Mote has a corner full of support from legendary rodeo icons including her father, Hall of Fame Bareback Rider Bobby Mote. Her mother, Kate, is known for training standout horses and another barrel racing in Mote’s support system is Wenda Johnson.
Although Mote is competing without Red Bull this week, her skills shine as she is Semi-Final bound on Frenchy.