Major Ropings: The Capitalist, Cody Johnson Championship
Major Rodeos: Days of ’47 (Salt Lake City, Utah), Sheridan, Deadwood, St. Paul, Spanish Fork, Burley, Red Bluff
NFR Qualifications: 2 (2025–26)
Star Horsepower: Oz “Oz Ona Hot Streak,” Mister T “Big Green Tractor”
Rope Choice: Classic NV4 HM
In 2022, Lane Mitchell and then-partner Cory Kidd ended up a stone’s throw away from a trip to the Thomas & Mack Center, finishing 16th in the world when the chips fell at the end of the season. In 2025, Mitchell is on a mission to make it happen, with good horsepower and support from his people.
The 31-year-old from Bolivar, Tennessee, has been in a player on the ProRodeo scene since 2016. However, somewhere between then and now, he couldn’t make up his mind on whether he wanted to go all in. After some advice from his grandpa, it’s been full steam ahead.
“[His granddad] said: ‘You need to figure out what you want to do and go with it,” Mitchell recalled. “I’ve pretty much been rodeoing ever since.”
Mitchell grew up farming in southwestern Tennessee and has been roping his whole life. From junior rodeos up through making the college finals with Marcus Theriot, rodeoing has always been a part of his life. It seemed far-fetched when he was young, but now, sitting #8 in the world, the dream is coming together.
The first standout year he had on the road was that run in 2022. Mitchell and Kidd ended up with $82,818 and won Red Bluff, California; were second in Puyallup, Washington; and won the first round and placed in the average at Spanish Fork, UT.
Since then, he has won some majors along the way, like when he and then-partner Lightning Aguilera won Deadwood, South Dakota, and St. Paul, Oregon, in 2024. Mitchell ended up with $58,329 that year with help from Aguilera and Nelson Wyatt.
Lane Mitchell, shown heeling one down at The Daddy in Cheyenne. | Tanya Hamner photo
These last few years have been pretty special for Mitchell for a new reason: He and his pro breakaway roper-wife, Jordi, are both rodeoing full-time with their son, Brooks, out there with them. This put everything into perspective for Mitchell.
“We’ve had a blast,” he shared. “It’s the same thing everyone else says: ‘when you get back to the trailer and your kid is there, they don’t know if you’ve missed or caught—they’re just happy to see you.”
Mitchell is currently teamed up with Cyle Denison. So far, they’ve placed at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo; won the first round at Pecos, Texas; placed at Cody, Wyoming, and in a round at St. Paul; and placed in both rounds and won the average in Sheridan, Wyoming. As of July 18, Mitchell is No. 8 in the world standings with $72,015.
“Work hard. Be positive. Try to see the best in everything and get the best horse you can. Stay entered, figure out how to keep entering. Might have to hustle a little bit.”Lane Mitchell, advice to the next generation – 2025
Mitchell made his first NFR with Cyle Denison in 2025, and they placed in five rounds. Mitchell finished the year 12th in the world with $200,937.
For 2026 he teamed up with Cody Snow, and the start was rough. They sat 40th in the world going into the Fourth of July.
“We both had a slow winter, and then the spring wasn’t much better,” Mitchell said. “So, we didn’t leave the house with very much money. It was just time for us to have a big week. We needed it, and we were happy to have it.”
They got that big week. Over Cowboy Christmas they won $30,192 a man across 10 rodeos, more than any other team. Two weeks later they split the win at the Days of ’47 Rodeo in Salt Lake City for $15,500 apiece.
They kept cashing through Ellensburg and Pendleton. On the last day of the season, Snow and Mitchell finished second in the aggregate at the 377 Last Hoorah, which moved Mitchell past Kaden Profili to No. 8 with $133,399. It’s his second straight NFR.
