Rose Bascom also known as Texas Rose Bascom (January 25, 1922 – September 23, 1993) is a 1981

National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is located in Fort Worth, Texas, US. Established in 1975, it is dedicated to honoring women of the American West who have displayed extraordinary courage and pioneering fortitude. The museum is an edu ...

trick rider inductee.

Life

Rose Bascom was born Ethel Rose Flynt on January 25, 1922, near

Mount Olive, Mississippi Mount Olive is a town in Covington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 895 at the 2020 census. History The town of Mount Olive was incorporated on May 18, 1900, making the town older than Magee to the north and older than C ...

, in

Covington County, Mississippi Covington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,340. Its county seat is Collins. The county is named for U.S. Army officer and Congressman Leonard Covington. History Covin ...

. Bascom was of

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

Choctaw The Choctaw ( ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States, originally based in what is now Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The Choctaw language is a Western Muskogean language. Today, Choct ...

Native American descent.

Career

Bascom lived in

Arm, Mississippi Arm is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Lawrence County, Mississippi, Lawrence County, Mississippi, United States. Arm is located on Mississippi Highway 43 east-southeast of Monticello, Mississippi, Monticello, and south of th ...

. She learned fancy

trick roping Floreo de reata or trick roping is a Mexican entertainment or competitive art involving the spinning of a lasso, also known as a lariat or a rope. Besides Mexico and Mexican charrería, it is also associated with Wild West shows or Western arts in ...

from her brother-in-law, Earl Bascom. After learning to trick ride and rope from Pearl Elder, Rose performed for the first time at the Columbia Rodeo in 1937 becoming known as the "Queen of the Mississippi Cowgirls." Rose became so adept at trick roping she later toured throughout the world and became known as the "World's Greatest Female Trick Roper". She is the only known female trick roper to master the skill of spinning three ropes at the same time—twirling a rope in each hand and a third one in her mouth (teeth or toes). In 1937, Rose married Weldon Bascom, a professional rodeo competitor. Soon she became known by the monicker, "World's Greatest Female Trick Roper". The newspaper press dubbed her act "the most beautiful stage performance in the world". She toured with the USO. In 1938, Rose and her husband moved to

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...

, where he worked for the Fort Worth Stock Yards. In 1939, Rose and Weldon moved to

Rock Springs, Wyoming Rock Springs is a city in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 23,526 at the 2020 census, making it the fifth most populous city in the state of Wyoming, and the most populous city in Sweetwater County. Rock Springs is ...

, where Weldon worked in the coal mines. During her career, Texas Rose Bascom was a professional trick roper, trick rider, and movie actress. She became known as "Queen of the Trick Ropers". Texas Rose joined the

United Service Organizations The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

entertainment troupe to tour around the world. She developed a fluorescent trick rope act which was billed "The Most Beautiful Stage Performance in the World". Bascom and her husband retired to the Rush Lake Ranch near St. George, Utah. She died at the age of 71 on September 23, 1993.

Legacy

* National Cowgirl Hall of Fame, inducted in 1981 * Utah Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, inducted in 2013. * Mississippi Rodeo Hall of Fame, inducted in 2017.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bascom, Rose 1922 births 1993 deaths Sportspeople from Washington County, Utah People from Mount Olive, Mississippi American female equestrians Cowgirl Hall of Fame inductees 20th-century American sportswomen American people of British descent American people of German descent