Tom had been experiencing success training horses in his small stable in Mexico.  However, in the early 1890’s, he and Angie made the bold decision to leave Mexico and establish a stable in Kansas City, MO.  Soon after he opened his stable, he was chosen to be on the Board of Advisors for the Kansas City fire department.  When the board was discussing how to raise money, Tom suggested a horse show.  Therefore in 1892, the first big Kansas City horse show was held in a tent. Thus was the start of one of the biggest horse shows in the nation, the American Royal. 

 An early example of a Tom Bass ad

By 1892, Tom found the horse of his dreams in Miss Rex. She was big and beautiful, sired by Rex Denmark.  Miss Rex soon became one of the most outstanding high school horses in the country. She was taken to the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago where she won the World Champion title. 

During the Kansas City years, Miss Rex’s chief competition was Lou Chief.  They competed in many shows until Lou Chief was sold to some New York residents for $2,250.00.  Other horses that Tom rode about that time were Louis, owned by Geo. A. Castleman; Starlight and Montrose owned by Mr. Chas. Lockridge; and Sid who was owned by M. T. Taft of the Columbus Buggy Co. 

Miss Rex really drew attention in Kansas City in 1895 at the Saddle Stakes.  It was a huge show and the winners were sure to gain respect.  The solid silver trophy and $1,000.00 cash was offered, and people from all over came compete.  There were twenty-seven horses in the class that lasted one hour and forty five minutes!  At the start, every horse looked grand, but with time even the some of the best wore out; that’s when Miss Rex really caught the judge’s eye. Miss Rex was making some flashy moves and lasted long enough to win the class.  Tom and Miss Rex were declared the winners and had beaten some of the best horses in the country!

Tom let everyone know that he had moved to Westport

By early 1896, Tom had opened a new stable that was located at the power house of Westport Cable. Several well known horses were being kept at the Bass Stable.  Tom’s reputation for success at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair brought him many customers.  Tom had won more first and second place premiums there than any other exhibitor.  Soon, Tom was training offspring sired by the famous stallion, Kentucky Blue Eyes. Many of the young horses by Kentucky Blue Eyes had blue eyes, white faces, stockings, and took to gaits quite naturally.  Tom had trained Kentucky Blue Eyes for C. F. Holmes.  Shamrock, the saddle and high school gelding owned by F. H. Gerhart of St. Louis was also being trained by Tom.  Tom Bass was even featured in a Horse Show Monthly article giving instructions on “How to Mount a Horse”.[1]

Kentucky Blue Eyes

Other horses that Tom was training were Mr. Walton Holmes’ black yearling who took to pacing and Lottie L, a two year old by Lee Rose-Sea Foam, owned by Tom Bass.  Others consisted of Missouri Blue, a two-year-old Blue Eyes gelding that was said to move like Rex McDonald; a horse named Hope Rysdyk that was owned by Clark & Potts of Mexico, MO who were said to be some of the greatest breeders around.  Tom also had horses for sale at all times.

Tom's tack room

Tom noticed that a lot of people were using his bit in their horse’s mouths, and was glad to see them doing so.  He had originally invented the bit as a “gift” to horses. It was not as torturous as other bits.  In 1896 Tom Bass was running small ads in the Horse Show Monthly, advertising his stable.  In the September 11, 1896 issue, a view of Tom Bass’s tack room where he kept all saddles, bridles and tack was featured.

In 1898, Tom had what most thought to be another great foal, Bass’s Black Squirrel.  The horse was out of Rock Bridge and sired by Quick Silver.  Bass’s Black Squirrel was a solid black and had his own flashy way of going. 

By 1896, “Tom Bass’s Magic Liniment” externally was said to cure “curb, thorough pin, founder, capped hock, lameness, strained tendons, and wind puffs”.  For internal use it was said to cure colds, coughs, influenza, colic, and fever of all kinds.  The cost was $1.00 per bottle, six bottles for $5.00, and was available at Doerschuk’s Big Drug Store in Kansas City.

Sometime before 1900, Tom and Angie moved back to Mexico, where Tom continued to train Saddlebred horses for the next 30 years.  Tom Bass left his indelible mark on the horse business of Kansas City.  Even today, Tom Bass is an honored part of one of the premier horse shows in America – the American Royal.       

• Photo Credits:  Horse Show Monthly

This page was designed by Meridee Kaye Haworth under direction of Dr. Lyndon Irwin