At approximately 8 a.m. Wednesday, March 4, Zane Kilgus received a call from Lazy E Arena General Manager Dan Wall offering him a spot in the 2026 Cinch Timed Event Championship to replace injured K.C. Jones—one day before the preliminary round of Ironman competition begins in Guthrie, Oklahoma.
Kilgus didn’t hesitate.
“I don’t have everything figured out,” Kilgus said. “All I know is when you get an opportunity like this, you jump on it and you figure out what to do to make it happen. I’m grateful for the chance to try it this year.”
The 24-year-old from Watsontown, Pennsylvania, was raised in a family rooted in Northeastern rodeo. His parents, Ned and Deneiss Kilgus, both train and compete on horses back home, and Kilgus grew up around multi-event competitors.
“My whole family’s always roped and been into rodeo,” Kilgus said. “I never wanted to do anything besides rodeo. I grew up obsessed with Trevor Brazile and guys who could win in different events, so this is something I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid.”
Kilgus now resides in Stephenville, Texas, where his older brother Zach and sister-in-law Alicia train rope horses, barrel horses and operate a small business, and he helps out while building his ProRodeo resume.
A standout in amateur and high school competition, Kilgus earned a scholarship to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO), qualifying for the College National Finals Rodeo each year of his eligibility while competing in both team roping and tie-down roping. During the summers, he returned to the First Frontier Circuit, capturing titles in tie-down roping, steer wrestling and the all-around at the First Frontier Circuit Finals.
The Cinch Timed Event Championship will demand more. Kilgus admits steer roping may present the steepest learning curve.
“I’ve maybe tripped 10 or 12 steers,” he said. “I had to go rope my dummy for a little bit just to make sure I remember how to rope the horns.”
To help manage the team roping portion of the Ironman, Kilgus has enlisted reigning World Champion Jake Long.
“If you’re going to find somebody, you’d better find the best,” Kilgus said. “I’ve roped with Jake a good bit, and I’m grateful he’s going to step in and help me out.”
Leading the horsepower lineup is Gus, Kilgus’ ProRodeo gelding who carried him through the California rodeos in 2025. Kilgus and his father originally trained Gus before convincing the horse’s owner to sell him a few years later.
“I just kept asking him,” Kilgus said. “Finally one day he called me and asked if I really wanted him. I told him to name his price. He’s been mine ever since and been there for me through college and everything. I’m excited for him to work in Guthrie.”
Kilgus will make his Cinch Timed Event Championship debut when competition begins tomorrow, March 5, at the Lazy E Arena.
