Each year at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the Red Bluff Round-Up is teamed up with Las Vegas Events, Santa Maria Elks Rodeo, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), and Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation to honor children and their families fighting life-threatening cancer through the Golden Circle of Champions. Founded in 2016, a total of 20 families are chosen each year. This year the RBRU Directors chose 12-year-old Lucas Bartsch as our Golden Circle Champion.
Lucas has been fighting cancer on and off, since he was ten months old. It started as a malignant brain tumor, which was removed, followed by rounds of chemotherapy. Then, at age six he had an unsuspecting bump on his forehead which was determined to be pre-cancerous, and it was removed.
In August of 2021, doctors found another malignant tumor on his right kidney, removed it and then another tumor on a major artery surrounding the kidney appeared. He is taking immunotherapy to shrink the tumor.
Lucas is your typical teenager. He loves playing sports, riding quads and singing to his favorite music. He is easygoing, his mom Lisa says and likes being apart of activities.
Being guests of the Round-Up is special to the family. Lisa attended the rodeo as a child and the family looks forward to making more memories there.
"I can tell you our family feels very blessed to have this opportunity. If we can shower Lucas with love and things that keep his ind off the heavy stuff, that is good." says Lisa.
Lucas' two favorite rodeo events are the team roping and the bull riding. He and his family, who live in Cottonwood, were the VIP guests of our 2023 Red Bluff Round-Up.
Not only has Lucas faced cancer, but his older brother CJ, had melanoma at age 8 and was treated, CJ is in remission and is hanging tough for his brother.
In December, they will be apart of the Golden Circle of Champions in Las Vegas for the Wrangler National Finals. Lucas along with many other brave children will get VIP treatment at the rodeo and are paired up with Pro Rodeo Cowboy and Cowgirls, who spend an afternoon with them - making memories of a lifetime.
Since 2018, the Red Bluff Round-Up has sponsored a child fighting childhood cancer on a trip to the National Finals Rodeo, as a Golden Circle of Champions guest, and we could not be more honored to do so.
The Red Bluff Round-Up Association is honored to have Lucas as our Golden Circle of Champions for 2023.
Keep fighting Lucas, we will see you at the Wrangler National Finals in Vegas!