Jess Pope has been one of the best bareback riders in the PRCA over the last three years, 2022 being no different. Pope will enter the NFR in second place in the PRCA World Standings and is just over $1,000 behind Cole Reiner who sits in first.
Pope loves competing at the NFR, with two Average titles in 2020 and 2021. Last year, he earned over $230,000 at the NFR at alone.
BIGGEST PAYDAYS
RodeoHouston, $60,500
It was a great start to Pope’s 2022 campaign when he won RodeoHouston in March. Pope opened the rodeo with an 84-point ride to win the opening round of his Super Series. He would place in the next two rounds before failing to place in his fourth performance. In rides five and six of the rodeo, Pope was marked 88 and 89 points, securing a spot in the Finals, where he went 89 points to get the win which came with a check of $50,000.
San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, $15,000
Pope struggled in the opening round, going 79 points at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, but he would make up for the lost time in the following four rides. In Round 2, he placed second with an 83-point ride. Pope got the Go-Round win in Round 3 with an 88-point ride that earned him $2,500. In the next round, Pope earned another $3,000 thanks to an 85.5-point ride. On his final ride of the rodeo, Pope was marked 89.5-points which would secure a second-place finish and earn him another $7,500.
HIGHEST MARKED RIDES
Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, 92 Points
It should come as no surprise that when a cowboy like Jess Pope is teamed up with a bucking horse like Gun Fire, big things happen. Pope had the perfect draw at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo and was marked 92 points, his best of the season. The ride earned Pope the win and over $3,000.
Farm-City Pro Rodeo, 90 Points
In one of his bigger wins of the season, Pope was marked 90 points on Yippie Kibitz which would win him the rodeo and the $6,600 check that comes with it.
NOTABLE WINS
La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros, 179.5 Points on Two
Pope opened the rodeo with an 89.5-point ride to win the opening round. He then went 90 points in the Finals which was a half point behind Orin Larsen’s 90.5-point ride. The two rides would be good enough to win the Average and earned Pope over $7,800.
High Desert Stampede, 87.5 Points
Pope rode Meat Swats to first place money in Oregon which gave him wins at three straight rodeos between March 10 and March 26.
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