Esther van de Lagemaat
Esther is a trick roper and circus artist from Denver, Colorado. After growing up riding horses and performing in rodeos across the country with the Westernaires (a youth horsemanship organization based in Golden, CO), Esther wasn't finished exploring what trick roping had to offer. Continuing to push the boundary and bring trick roping out of just rodeo and into the curcus world, she develops and trains a style which combines classical Will Rogers style roping with dance and acrobatics. She just recently graduated from the New England Center for Circus arts where she studied Lasso and aerial straps.
Esther grew up in the Westernaires organization, where she learned and performed precision mounted drill at the highest level, chariot driving, roman riding, riding at liberty, trick roping, equestrian vaulting, whip cracking, and baton twirling. With the organization, she performed in rodeos across the country, including opening for the National Western Stock Show in Denver, and galas and parades across Colorado. Pictured to the right is Esther performing with the Westernaires in 2020
After graduating from high school and the Westernaires, Esther attended university at Colorado State University. She graduated in May of 2023 with Bachelors degrees in Chemistry and Mathematics. During college, Esther worked as a chemistry researcher there and at Penn State, began learning aerial arts, and eventually taught lyra 3 for a year at Fort Collins Circus Center. She also ran a monthly community circus show.
In addition to attending New England Center for Circus Arts, Esther recently performed at the Slipper Room in NYC, as a guest artist in Quixotic Fusion's Whiskey Dynamite, in the professional Turboshow and the Turbofest Juggling festival, and toured with the Fall 2024 and 2025 productions of Cirque Us Stories. In her spare time, she enjoys sewing costumes and crochet.
Be prepared to see trick roping as you're never seen it before, with high energy, crowd pleasing, acrobatic acts.
You can see more of what she's up to currently on her instagram @esther.ropes
