Joan Wells has dedicated much of her life to keeping a piece of the Old West alive, one rope trick at a time.
A 1966 graduate of Seward High School, Wells is a professional trick roper who has performed across the country at stage shows, conventions, special events, fairs, rodeos, wild west shows, variety shows, promotions, television and other western-themed events.
The only professional trick roper in Nebraska, she started roping at age four after learning about horses and trick roping from her cousin, a rodeo cowboy and trick roper.
“When he’d come to visit the family, he’d show me rope tricks, and I picked up those tricks,” she said. “Then, he brought me an actual trick rope, because I was just using some little clothesline rope, and he worked with me.”
Wells picked up trick roping quickly and always knew she wanted to be a cowgirl. She grew up practicing at Seward’s bandshell, and her father encouraged her to follow her dream to do professional rodeo.
“Trick roping was something that was unique, and, of course, I liked the cowboy theme and I wanted a horse,” Wells said. “Then, I learned I could trick rope on my horse and joined the saddle club in Seward and 4-H. I just enjoyed learning the tricks and watching other ropers and getting with other trick ropers and sharing.”
World Champion Trick Roper Jim Eskew Jr. instructed Wells, and at age 12, she performed guitar, vocals and trick roping at a theater show in Lincoln. She was also a child performer in television, horse shows and rodeos in the early 1960s.
In college, Wells started in amateur rodeo through the United Rodeo Association. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in physical education, she did rodeo professionally through the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
Her career as a trick roper continued to grow, and in 1979, she won the title of Women’s World Champion Trick Roper at the Will Rogers Trick Roping Contest.
Wells, who is also a musician and plays lead and rhythm guitar in western bands, said trick roping is an incredibly artistic practice and requires regular training. She practices about 30 minutes, twice a day.
She has a traditional style, performing tricks seen in the early years of the Wild West shows and rodeos. Her complete act has over 80 tricks, and she is respected amongst top trick ropers, despite trick roping being a male-oriented field.
In autographed photos from those she has worked with, Wells said she has been described as someone who ropes from the heart and whose roping sparks joy. Her performances are often described as fascinating and colorful.
Wells was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1989 and named the Performing Artist of the Year by the Lincoln-Lancaster Women’s Commission in 2001.
In 2007, she won the Will Rogers Expo Trick Roping Contest.
Wells has performed for the Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill wild west shows and was part of 50 performances of the Will Rogers Follies. When she performed with the Will Rogers Follies show in Omaha, she also taught other performers some trick roping for the show.
One of her most notable performances was at the 65th Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, where she appeared with Patsy Montana.
Through her work, Wells has met many western celebrities, including Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Patsy Montana, Loretta Lynn and Lady Bird Johnson.
Wells said she connected with McEntire over the fact that McEntire knows her roping instructor. Wells described McEntire as a down-to-earth person who is easy to talk to.
Wells also teaches clinics for children interested in learning the ropes. Her pupils include Kent Durham, who is now a highly accomplished trick roper.
She talks about the history of trick roping in a program through Humanities Nebraska.
Wells said she also values performing because it is a dying art – many people do not know what it is or do not practice the traditional style, which was popularized on the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show.
She recently performed Cattle Trail Songs of the West in Seward on the Fourth of July and, although she now lives in Lincoln, she enjoys coming back to her hometown.
A small-town person at heart, she said she treasures the support and opportunities that the rural community has given her.
