Joe was born on September 29, 1957, in Dallas, Texas, but he was raised on an east Texas ranch owned by his grandfather, Wade L. Parks, near Centerville, in Leon County. The ranch is still managed by his mother, Mike Parks Baker. Joe has one sister. From an early age, he was coached by his father, Joe A. Gaskin, and received strong support from his grandfather Wade, as well as his uncles, L.W. (Red) and L.R. (Freck) Gaskin, who were former bull riders themselves. Growing up in north Texas, Joe competed in the North Texas High School Rodeo Association and entered open rodeos in the area before moving on to amateur rodeos across Texas and then to the professional level.
In 1976, Joe qualified for the first of four International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA) Finals in bull riding. He found himself in the top 10 at their finals in the following years—1977, 1978, and 1979—with 1978 marking the year he was awarded the title of World Champion Bull Rider.
After his competitive days with the IPRA, Joe joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). His first PRCA rodeo in 1980, in West Palm Beach, Florida, was a success, earning him a significant amount of money towards fulfilling his permit for membership, which he obtained at the next rodeo.
From 1981 to 1985, he qualified for the PRCA-Texas Circuit Finals, and in 1981, he competed at his first PRCA-National Finals held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, finishing the year 5th overall.
Joe’s career was filled with many highlights, including wins in Greeley, Colorado; Ft. Worth, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Jackson, Mississippi; Ft. Smith, Arkansas; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Rapid City, South Dakota; and Long Beach, California. Memorable rides include being the only qualified rider on the 1978 IPRA Bull of the Year, #88 Gentle Bill, owned by the Wing Rodeo Company, at a competition in Ft. Worth in 1978, and in 1981 in Memphis, Tennessee, where he rode the PRCA Bull of the Year, Red Lightning, owned by the Steiner Rodeo Company.
Joe’s rodeo career also took him to many Canadian rodeos, where he qualified in 1983 and 1984 for the $50,000 bonus finals round at the Calgary Stampede.
Since retiring from the rodeo scene, Joe has spent many years working within the Texas prison system but still finds time to work on the family ranch, as well as to golf, fish, and hunt. He currently resides in central Texas near Jewett.
