FATHER’S DAY FEATURE Laura Mote Carrying on Family Name in ProRodeo By Joe Kuske L aura Mote was so proud. Mote, then four years old, had completed her first solo barrel racing run at a rodeo in Arizona. She was aboard the family horse, Smoke the Wonder Pony.
“He was great,” said Mote. Her joy increased when Mote heard “86” associated with her turn. “That’s what dad gets,” she thought, already familiar with rodeo at a young age. “I’d take 86 all the time.” There was just one problem. The young Mote had not learned the difference between rough stock points and timed events measured in seconds. “We had to tell her, ‘That’s not good. That’s slow,’ ” remembered her father, Bobby Mote, with soft chuckle. Laura Mote is running barrels quite a bit faster these days. The recent high school graduate earned her first WPRA victory, winning at Lufkin, Texas the third weekend of April. And in the process, carving out a name for herself in a family rich
younger brother Trey just finished his freshman year of high school and participates in all sports. Bobby, Kate and Laura are also competitive team ropers. Now it’s Laura who is carrying the family banner high into professional rodeo arenas. “Super proud,” said Bobby, speaking for both parents. “She has been willing to put in the time and do the preparation. Laura Mote got her first ProRodeo win at the Angelina Benefit Rodeo in Lufkin, Texas, stopping the clock in a quick time of 14.49 seconds aboard Redbull. Laura is following in her father’s steps, just at the other end of the arena. Photo by James Phifer
“Since she was in diapers, Laura has been horse crazy. When she was a little girl, she would sneak away to the barn to be with the horses. You always had to keep an eye on her. Laura has been horse crazy since the day we let her start riding.” The hard work and preparation paid off in Lufkin. Aboard her horse Reb Hot Redbull, Mote won with a time of 14.49 seconds, one- hundredth of a second ahead of Gabbie Grothe, of Stephenville, Texas. “When I do my job and Redbull does his, he is going to shine,” she said. “It gives you
in rodeo success. Her father Bobby is a four-time world bareback champion and 15-time qualifier for the Wrangler Nationals Finals Rodeo. He was recently selected for the ProRodeo Hall of Fame class of 2022. “We thought he should have gotten in sooner,” said Laura. Bobby Mote, who retired from bareback riding in 2017, lives in Llano, Texas with his family, where he is the ranch manager for Reliance Ranches, a horse, cattle and hay operation. Kate Mote, Laura’s mother, is also an accomplished horse trainer. Older brother Charlie is a realtor and body builder in Colorado while Four-time PRCA World Champion Bobby Mote will be inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame this July. Bobby has been a big support for his daughter, Laura, as she is just getting her feet wet in the ProRodeo ranks. Laura says he has helped her most with the mental aspect of the sport of rodeo. Photo by Mike Copeman
Laura Mote has had a love for horses and competing since she was a little girl. She is now hoping to turn all that into a trip to the big show - the Wrangler NFR – at the end of the year. Photo courtesy Mote family.
14 WPRA NEWS JUNE 2022
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