When bareback rider Jess Pope, a native of Waverly, Kan., arrives at Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo in Phillipsburg, he’s treated like a hometown star.
Pope rewarded the hospitality of the people by winning the rodeo for the second year in a row Saturday night.
Pope had an 87.5-point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Election Day to claim the rodeo title, a stop on the ProRodeo Tour.
“I had never been on that horse before,” said Pope, 22. “I think that was only the fifth trip by that horse. It’s a young horse, and I didn’t know anything about it, but I know when
Bennie (Beutler) puts a young one out on Saturday night it is generally going to be really good. That was a fun, little horse. It took a little scoot out there and was really fast and electric. It was a really enjoyable ride. That horse has a bright future ahead of it.”
On Aug. 1, 2020, Pope won Kansas’ Biggest with an 89.5-point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Nutrena’s Anything Goes.
“That’s a home state rodeo for me,” said Pope, who lives 4½ hours from Phillipsburg. “That town treats me like I’m family. I love that rodeo. I won it last year. I have some friends who live out there and that’s just a good, honest farm town and they love rodeo. They welcome anybody from Kansas with open arms. It is a really fun rodeo, and they pack the stands. It is really special to win this two years in a row and when you win a rodeo that is close to home it is more sentimental.”
Pope entered Phillipsburg sixth in the PRCA | RAM World Standings and just solidified his spot with his victory.
“I got there (in Phillipsburg) a few hours early and visited with a bunch of people,” Pope said. “I can walk around there and smile and laugh and see people I haven’t seen in a long time.”
Pope had a season to remember in 2020, winning the average at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and finishing third in the PRCA | RAM World Standings.
However, his 2021 campaign was derailed with lower back injury April 3 at the Riggin Rally Xtreme Broncs in Weatherford, Texas.
Pope returned May 29 at the MSU-Northern PRCA Extreme Bares & Broncs Challenge in Havre, Mont.
“Everything is feeling a lot better than it did,” Pope said about his back. “It still gets a little sore, but not like it was. I went and did some therapy. My L5 vertebrae was cracked, and it was pinching my disc. The little muscles around my spine I had to really focus on them and make them stronger and build them up.”
Pope won the average with 853 points on 10 head and earned $170,417 at his Finals debut at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, seventh most of any contestant. He has even higher expectations for 2021.
“I’m going to keep riding the best I can,” Pope said. “I keep trying to improve with every horse I get on. My goal is to win a gold buckle not just to make the NFR.”
Source: ProRodeo
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