BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
Jess Pope has been a model of consistency at his first Wrangler NFR. The 22-year-old has ridden every bronc and has been marked at least 82.5 points every night.
On Thursday, he broke through to get his first Go-Round win by riding Xplosive Skies for 89 points. With 681 points on 8 head, Pope now leads the average by 5.5 points over his mentor Tim O’Connell.
POPE’S RIDE
“When I got (the draw), I was pumped,” Pope said. “I was about to do backflips I think.”
Calgary’s Xplosive Skies has now delivered two Go-Round wins this Wrangler NFR. Kaycee Feild rode her for 91.5 points in Round Three.
“She’s really electric and has a lot of drop. It’s a gun fight from the nod go. She’s whacking you in the back and you have to just let your feet go and just trust your instincts because if you start thinking about it while you’re riding you get behind,” he said. “It’s all off muscle memory, and that’s what we train for day in and day out.”
O’Connell still holds the No. 1 spot in the world with $212,183 and Feild is still the next closest cowboy, sitting at just over $176,000. Feild is third in the average with 671 points on 8 head.
NFR BAREBACK RIDING RESULTS
First Round: 1. Richmond Champion, 87.5 points on J Bar J’s Blessed Assurance, $26,231; 2. (tie) Mason Clements and Jess Pope, 87, $18,192 each; 4. (tie) Cole Reiner and Clayton Biglow, 85, $8,885 each; 6. Chad Rutherford, 84.5, $4,231.
Second Round: 1. Tanner Aus, 87 points on Hi Lo Pro Rodeo’s Wilson Sanchez, $26,231; 2. (tie) Kaycee Feild, Leighton Berry and Tim O’Connell, 86.5, $15,795 each; 5. Cole Reiner, 86, $6,769; 6. Winn Ratliff, 84.5, $4,231.
Third Round: 1. Kaycee Feild, 91.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s Xplosive Skies, $26,231; 2. Leighton Berry, 88, $20,731; 3. Richmond Champion, 87.5, $15,654; 4. Jess Pope, 86, $11,000; 5. Cole Reiner, 84.5, $6,769; 6. Mason Clements, 83, $4,231.
Fourth Round: 1. Tim O’Connell, 90.5 points on Fettig Pro Rodeo’s Pop A Top, $26,231; 2. Leighton Berry, 88.5, $20,731; 3. (tie) Clayton Biglow and Tilden Hooper, 86.5, $13,327 each; 5. (tie) Richmond Champion, Jess Pope and Cole Reiner, 85, $3,667 each.
Fifth Round: 1. Clayton Biglow, 89 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo Co’s Top Flight, $26,231; 2. Chad Rutherford, 88, $20,731; 3. Tilden Hooper, 87.5, $15,654; 4. Tim O’Connell, 87, $11,000; 5. Kaycee Feild, 86.5, $6,769; 6. Jamie Howlett, 86, $4,231.
Sixth Round: 1. Cole Reiner, 87 points on Flying U Rodeo’s Lil Red Hawk, $26,231; 2. (tie) Tanner Aus and Kaycee Feild, 86.5, $18,192 each; 4. Orin Larsen, 86, $11,000; 5. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Chad Rutherford, 85.5, $5,500 each.
Seventh Round: 1. Orin Larsen, 90 points on Calgary Stampede’s Yippee Kibitz, $26,231; 2. Winn Ratliff, 85.5, $20,731; 3. (tie) Tanner Aus and Jess Pope, 83.5, $13,327 each; 5. Richmond Champion, 81.5, $6,769; 6. (tie) Kaycee Feild and Mason Clements, 80.5, $2,115 each.
Eighth Round: 1. Jess Pope, 89 points on Calgary Stampede’s Xplosive Skies, $26,231; 2. Tim O’Connell, 85.5, $20,731; 3. (tie) Orin Larsen and Tanner Aus, 85, $13,327 each; 5. Winn Ratliff, 80.5, $6,769; 6. (tie) Kaycee Feild and Mason Clements, 77, $2,115 each.
