story by Lindsay King
It started with a love for horses and truly kicked off with a handful of rides in the wild colt riding when Ann Bassett was 11 years old. Though rodeo is a family sport for this Dewey, Arizona, barrel racer, Ann’s parents did not compete. “It skipped a generation I guess. I was getting into rodeo no matter what event I had to do. I don’t think they cared if I did those roughstock events, they just let me do it,” said the two-time Arizona high school all-around champion. She’s clearly no stranger to the national stage after making high school nationals all four years and taking home a barrel racing world championship buckle from the NSPRA finals in 2004. “I really have not taken any breaks, except to raise my kids. I rodeoed for one year at Yavapai College before I met my husband John. We tried to rodeo a little bit while working our business and raising a family.”
Bassett Racing Stables is a family tradition passed down for generations in John’s family. The winners of multiple million-dollar horse races, John and Ann are familiar with horse power. The need for speed is the name of the game for Ann, in every aspect of her life. “I think you need a little cow horse in your race horse breeding. The horses I run barrels on now are half and half.” Back when Ann’s kids were competing, she headed and heeled for them when they needed her to. John is still an avid team roper today. However, Ann sticks with her one true love found only in the clover leaf pattern. “You have to love the animal before you love the sport. I truly love Shadow (her 14-year-old gelding by Corona Caliente out of a White Lightning Ike mare).” He might not be the fastest quarter horse in the NSPRA, but he’s consistent and one Ann raised herself. “My youngest daughter trains horses and I could easily pick one out of her pen to win on regularly, but I just like Shadow because he is nice and quiet. I like having a horse I can enjoy.”
About six years ago, a horse that was not nearly as quiet as Shadow almost put an end to Ann’s rodeo career. “I got bucked off and broke my neck and back, I thought it was time to give it up. But then I thought if I give up rodeo then what would I do with my life?” In 2019, Ann will have held a NSPRA membership for the last 25 years. When she first joined she remembers how robust the membership and competition was, that’s something she hopes to bring back to the association in her role on the executive board. “I would like to see more people competing simply for the enjoyment of the sport. At our ages, we don’t do this to make a living. I would also like to see more rodeos added.”
As a native of Arizona, Ann regularly attends the rodeos bunched up into several weeks throughout the winter months. It’s these types of events she believes will bring old members back and get people to the arenas and entering again. “John and I love to travel. We go to a rodeo and then we will go sightseeing. But we also really like the comradery of our friends in the NSPRA.” Ann knows how tough the rodeo road can be after traveling to 44 events in 2004. Though the world championship was an incredible feat, as she reflects on her rodeo career Ann has started realize the thrill of a lifetime happened in Cheyenne. “Years ago, I placed there. Back then it wasn’t really a big deal, but now I know that it actually was.”
