Arizona in the Saddle | Page 42

Bertha Blancett
A Pioneer Lady in Rodeo
By Jim Olson, ©2014, www.TotallyWestern.com

H

undreds of cowboys have
ridden broncs at “The Daddy,”
(Cheyenne Frontier Days
Rodeo) since it began in 1897.
But did you know women used to
ride broncs there as well? The first
woman to complete such a task was
none other than Bertha Kaepernik, a
pioneer in women’s rodeo competition.
Bertha Kaepernik Blancett has been
credited with many “firsts” for ladies
when it comes to the early days of the
great sport of Rodeo!
Born near Atwood, Colorado (south
of Sterling) to William and Federico
Kaepernik (an immigrant ranching
family) during 1883, Bertha’s father
had her riding a horse at a very
young age. In 1904, the young
Miss Kaepernik rode a horse from
the home ranch in Colorado
to Cheyenne, WY where she
wound up giving a bronc riding
exhibition. (The promoters of the
rodeo had advertised “Ladies
Bronc Riding” as a promotional
gimmick but did not really
expect and takers. When
young Bertha showed up,
it was to the surprise of the
promoters and to the crowd.
What ever prompted Bertha
to ride that day, however,
made her the first lady to
do so at Cheyenne Frontier
Days.) She returned the
following year to do it again
and this time they also had
women’s relay races which
she participated in.
The rodeo bug must have
got a hold of her because in
1906, Bertha left home and
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November 2014

joined up with Pawnee Bill’s Wild West
Show where she rode broncs and put on
exhibitions until about 1909 when she
joined up with the Miller Brothers 101
Ranch Show. While there, she met and
married Dell Blancett who was known as
the World Champion Bull Dogger (the first
man after Bill Pickett to be known as such).
Aurthor, Willard Porter, said of Bertha,
“She not only contested on an equal basis
with the men but also pioneered women’s
rodeo competition. She won several
championships as a bronc rider and
competed in relay race riding and
roman riding.”
Another first that Bertha Blancett is
credited with is being the first lady
hazer in the bulldogging event. Dell
and Bertha traveled the United States,
Canada and Mexico with the Wild West
Shows and Rodeos. Along the way, Dell
taught Bertha to be his “hazer” in the
bulldogging (practically unheard of,
even to this day). During this period,
the couple also appeared in the “newest
rage” taking over the country, the Moving
Picture Shows.
Men such as Hoot Gibson and Tom Mix
performed with the Miller Bros. show
before going to Hollywood to work in
the movies. By using these contacts, the
Blancetts were able to gain work as extras
and stunt doubles for Bison Films when
they were traveling in California.
In 1912, Bud Atkinson, organized the
Atkinson’s American Circus and Wild
West Show to tour in Australia. The show
had over two-hundred performers, onehundred head of horses and a number of
other livestock. Among those who signed
on with Atkinson were the Blancetts.
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