Famed Wyoming rodeo cowboy and western artist Earl W. Bascom has been credited with helping a Canadian rodeo become the “greatest outdoor show on earth” — now famous and known worldwide as the Calgary Stampede.
In the recently published “Guide to the Calgary Stampede,” various interesting aspects of that rodeo are featured.
The guide also extolls the contributions that Earl Bascom made to the sport of rodeo and to the Calgary Stampede — particularly his rodeo equipment inventions, and his being the first rodeo champion inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Founded on the banks of the Bow River in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1912, the Calgary Stampede is held on the second weekend of July each year and runs for 10 days. At the Stampede, cowboys from all over the world gather to compete in nine different rodeo events trying to win some of the two million dollars in prize monies.
The late rodeo champion Earl Bascom had an attachment to the history of the Calgary Stampede as early as 1924.
On the Bascom Ranch in Stirling, Alberta, Earl Bascom and his brothers had a string of horses that they were breaking and caring for. Two of those horses, a pair of golden palominos, were owned by rodeo producer Ray Knight. Named Bud and Goldie, these two horses had gained Canadian fame as champion roman racing horses.
In the summer of 1924, a Hollywood movie production company came to Alberta and to the Bascom Ranch. The movie company contracted to use the palominos in a western movie starring cowboy actor Hoot Gibson. Before becoming a movie star, Hoot Gibson (who was born in Nebraska in 1892) had been a rodeo champion in 1912 winning the All-Around Championship at the Pendleton Roundup and winning the Steer Roping Championship at the Calgary Stampede.
At the Calgary Stampede of 1924, Hoot Gibson was filmed riding roman-style, standing on the backs of the palominos, galloping in a wild race around the oval track and winning the race. Released worldwide in November of 1925 with the title “The Calgary Stampede,” that cowboy movie, starring Hoot Gibson, launched Canadian rodeo to the top and helped the Calgary Stampede become the largest rodeo in the world.
Earl Bascom was also an early contestant at the Calgary Stampede. Competing in the four rough stock events of saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, and bull riding, he also competed in the timed events of steer decorating and steer wrestling.
In 1933, Bascom won the North American Steer Decorating Reserve Championship at the Calgary Stampede and went on to set a world record time in that event, as well.
The “Guide to the Calgary Stampede” summarizes Bascom’s influence on the Calgary Stampede — “With the induction of Earl W. Bascom in 2015, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame welcomed its first Honored Member known for Rodeo. With the help of innovators like Bascom, the modernized version of the sport features new methods and equipment which helped shape the face and spirit of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.”And added the invitation — “Visit Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame to see this piece of Canadian Rodeo history.”
Earl Bascom rodeoed and cowboyed across Wyoming in the 1920s and 30s, making Rock Springs his residence in 1939.
Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, sports, arts & entertainment, state legislature, CFD news, and more.
Explore newsletters
Sorry, an error occurred.
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
