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Famous Mormons in Rodeo and Horseracing
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Nathan Baldwin Tie down roping |
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 Photo: Courtesy of the cowboy's family |
Earl Bascom (1906-1995) Hall of Fame |
He was born in Utah and raised in
Alberta. He started rodeo in 1916 at the age of ten. He was a
champion in saddle bronco riding, bareback riding, bull riding
and steer wrestling. In 1922 he invented the hornless bronco
riding saddle. Two years later he invented the one-hand
bareback rigging. He also invented the side-delivery rodeo
chute. Upon retiring from rodeo, he became an accomplished
cowboy sculptor. In 2000, he became the first Mormon inducted
into the Cowboy Memorial Museum, located in Caliente California. Sources: Sports Academy Honors Mormon Cowboy, Mormon News, 18 Feb 2002 and Hall picks 'Mormon Cowboy', Deseret News 14 Oct 2000, P2 |
Rodeo Innovations of Earl Bascom by John Bascom, About Inventors |
| Bucky Bradford | 1976 World Champion team roper joined the church shortly before his death in Arizona. | ||
| Guy Cash | Saddle Bronc Champion 1939 | ||
 athletics.csi.edu
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Shawn Davis Head coach (Southern Idaho) |
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 painting was commissioned by the PRCA |
Lewis Field |
Lewis Field" was the 1987 All Around
Cowboy for the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association. 1985 Las
Vegas NFR, roughstock sensation Lewis Field of Elk Ridge, Utah,
easily captured the world bareback riding title in what became his
first of three world all-around championships. The familiar Field name is back in the circuit finals year as Lewis Feild's son Shadrick qualified for the event before leaving to serve a Mission with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Lewis Field won a number of circuit titles and five world titles during his career. |
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 bozemandailychronicle.com
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Hutch Haslem Montana State Rodeo |
Haslem, agreed he's different than the 19-year-old who opted to go
on his mission before he set out for college. He wanted to go then,
he said, because he worried he might change his mind about it. His
mission took him to rural western Oklahoma and northern Texas, and
the people he met there weren't a whole lot different than the folks
from his home town of Morgan, Utah. Haslem, who was Utah's state high school champion all-around cowboy in 2004, has always been a rough stock cowboy, focusing on bareback and bull riding. It's no surprise he liked those events best. His father had done some bull riding, and one of the family's Morgan neighbors is Lan LaJeunesse, a two-time world bareback champion. |
MSU rodeo: Haslem's on a different mission now |
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Cody Hancock Professional bull riding world champion |
World champion bull rider Cody Hancock. The young rodeo
star comes from good bloodlines. His father Ray rode bulls in the
Turquoise Circuit and has made four trips to the National Senior Pro
Rodeo Finals. "My dad loves to go to rodeos with me and he still
gets on bulls, Hancock said. We get along real well and he has
helped me a lot. He drove all the way to Calgary and watched me ride
and then helped me get home. He has always been there for me." His
mother Twila has also been a big supporter of the young champion.
"If Dad was with me on the road then mom was taking care of things
at home, Hancock continued. My parents were there all 10 days and it
was great to have them at NFR to share the win."
Hancock's younger brother Wyatt is also involved with rodeo and spent a year at CSI before serving an LDS mission in Alaska with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Cody has also served an LDS mission and says it helped him to become a stronger person mentally and spiritually. "My faith helps me stay focused," says Hancock. "I don't drink alcohol or chew tobacco and I've gotten a lot of respect from guys on the road. I think kids need guys to look up to in rodeo and hopefully I can be a positive influence." equisearch.com
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www.codyhancock.com |
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Raymond Knight Father of Canadian rodeo |
1st
Stampede in Canada.
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| Art Lund | |||
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Chris Lybbert Rodeo Champion |
He was the all around national
rodeo champion in 1982 and the national calf roping champion in
1986. Source: Hickok Sports |
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Dee Picket Champion |
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| Dale D. Smith | He was inducted in the Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1995 from Arizona. He is an all-around timed-event cowboy. He won world team roping titles in 1956 and 1957. In 1959, he went to the first National Finals Rodeo in three events: team roping, tie-down roping and steer roping, the first cowboy in professional rodeo history to accomplish that outstanding feat. In 2000, he was awarded the Ben Johnson Memorial Award. Now a successful rancher, he attributes his success in business to professional rodeo. His horse, Poker Chip, is buried in the Cowboy Hall of Fame. | ||
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Wyatt Smith |
Wyatt is the
current National High School Rodeo All-Around Champion and
National High School Rodeo Steer Wrestling Champion. He lives
in Rexburg, Idaho. He is 18 and has just completed his first
year in College Rodeo, attending Central Wyoming College. He
has started his pro Rodeo career and will be attending the
College National Finals in June. High School Accomplishments: 2006 National High School Rodeo Finals All Around Cowboy, 2006 National High School Rodeo Finals Steer Wrestling Champion
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Rex Ellsworth Breeder of race horses |
Childhood friend and business
partner of Meshach Tenney. Served a
mission in Africa. Achieved fame in horse racing when his
horse, Swaps, became the first California bred horse to win the
Kentucky Derby. Sources: Second Running |
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 Les Hulet riding Fio Rito, a New York bred horse that won many races with Les on him. |
Les Hulet Hall Of Fame 1999 |
His official career began in
1970. Arriving in 1972, He became leading rider at Finger
Lakes in 1977 with 158 wins for the year. He won the title
again in 1979 with 160 wins, and in 1980 with 149 wins. In
1984, Hulet again led the standings with 187 wins. And in 1985
earned his 5th "Leading Rider" title with a career best 198
wins. More than just a talented rider, Hulet's wit, tact and
diplomacy made him a natural choice as head of the local
Jockey's Guild and a favorite of Finger Lakes horsemen and
fans. On August 20, 1999 Les Hulet reached the amazing
milestone of 3,800 victories aboard Instinctive pro, and his
career total of 3,816 wins ranks him 38th all-time among
jockeys. Source: Finger Lakes Racing Association |
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 Photo: Horse Races.net |
Johnny Longden (1907-2003) Hall of Fame |
He was born in Yorkshire,
England. He was the first to win 6,000 races. He was also the
first to ride 4,000 winners. He rode Count Fleet to Triple
Crown in 1943. He was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1958. Source: Horse Races.net |
Racing Museum
Longden's Last Ride, March 12, 1966 By: Ron Hale
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Meshach Tenney Trainer of race horses |
Childhood friend and business
partner of Rex Ellsworth. Served a
mission in Colorado. Achieved fame in horse racing when he
trained the first California bred horse to win the Kentucky
Derby. Source: Second Running |
 Horse on Cart |
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George Woolf |
Great Canadian and American
jockey of the 1920's, 30's and 40's. The George Woolf award is
the most formidable jockey award in the nation. "The Iceman"
was a jockey for 19 years during which time he rode 3784 mounts
including 721 winners. In 1936 he won the Preakness aboard
Bolt Venture. In 1938 aboard Seabiscuit he captured the
Pimlico Special. In fact the only major race he did not win
was the Kentucky Derby. Woolf was killed while riding Please
Me at the Santa Anita track in 1946. Source: Info Ramp.net |
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