Pope rights himself at Roundup

Life on the rodeo trail can be special at times. Cowboys make a living eight seconds at a time and get to travel the country doing it.

Life on the rodeo trail can be rugged at times. When the results one is seeking aren’t there, cowboys are away from home, and it’s a test of will and fortitude. Since he began competing in ProRodeo six seasons ago, Jess Pope has experienced both sides of that equation. (Above photo is by Kylene Scott.)

“I’m not going to lie: Two weeks ago, I was over it,” said Pope, 25, of Waverly, Kansas. “I wasn’t drawing good, and I was sore. Being able to come home for three days and reboot and rodeo close to home brought it all back. I know I ride really good, and I just have to have them underneath me.”

Them? Those are the bucking horses he rides, and he’s matched with them via a random draw. The better the horse, the better the opportunity. He took advantage of that Sunday night during the championship round of the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo.

“When I get them underneath me, I’ve got to take advantage of them, and I felt like I did this week. I’m excited to finish the year.”

He rode Championship Pro Rodeo’s Hooey Rocks for 91 points to win the short go-round, which catapulted him to the top in the two-ride aggregate and the Roundup title. That’s a big deal for any contestant; it’s a bigger deal for a Kansas-born-and-raised cowboy.

During a few days in western Kansas, Pope earned $6,605. Sitting 20^th in the world standings, every dollar counts. Only the top 15 on the money list at the end of the regular season advance to the National Finals Rodeo. Once there, Pope has been dominant. He won three straight NFR titles, the third of which helped him earn the 2022 world championship. Last December, he finished second in the average in Las Vegas; over his four trips to ProRodeo’s grand finale, he’s finished no worse than third.

Now, he’s got the Roundup buckle to go along with his NFR average and world championship trophies.

“It’s the history that I have here at this rodeo to be close to home, and to have my family and friends here with me means a lot to get that buckle that I’ll get to take home and cherish,” Pope said. “I’ve got junior high and high school buckles from here, and it will be really fun to be able to make a little picture-profile thing to put all my buckles together.”

He may need to add a special addition for all his trophies. In addition to his title in Dodge City, he finished third in Phillipsburg, Kansas, and won the title in Dalhart, Texas. He pocketed more than $11,000 this week alone.

“When the going gets tough, the tough gets going,” he said. “I’m not where I want to be in the world standings, but this week really helped, and I sure feel good about it. I think it’ll keep going good.”

Dodge City Roundup Rodeo
Dodge City, Kan.
July 31-Aug. 4, 2024
All-around champion: Coleman Proctor, $1,853 in team roping and steer roping.

Bareback riding: First round: 1. Rocker Steiner, 88 points on Frontier Rodeo’s High Heels, $3,163; 2. (tie) Waylon Bourgeois, Dean Thompson and Jess Pope, 85, $1,792 each; 5. Weston Timberman, 84.5, $738; 6. Sam Petersen, 84, $527; 7. Mason Clements, 83, $422; 8. (tie) Cooper Cooke, Jacek Frost and Bradlee Miller, 81, $105 each. Final round: 1. Jess Pope, 91 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Hooey Rocks, $1,650; 2. Mason Clements, 88, $1,250; 3. (tie) Sam Peterson and Waylon Bourgeois, 87, $750 each; 5. Weston Timberman, 85.5, $350; 6. (tie) Dean Thompson and Rocker Steiner, 84.5, $125 each. Average: 1. Jess Pope, 176 points on two rides, $3,163; 2. Rocker Steiner, 172.5; 3. Waylon Bourgeois, 172, $1,792; 4. (tie) Mason Clements and Sam Peterson, 171, $949; 6. Weston Timberman, 170, $527; 7. Dean Thompson, 169.5, $422; 8. Kade Sonnier, 164, $316.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Ty Bauerle, 3.8 seconds, $3,473; 2. (tie) Jacob Edler and Tyler Waguespack, 4.0, $2,793 each; 4. Brady Reneau, 4.1, $2,114; 5. Dakota Eldridge, 4.3, $1,661; 6. (tie) Kalane Anders, Gage Hesse, Tyke Kipp, Will Lummus, Isaiah Na’auao-Asing and Tyler Pearson, 4.4, $377 each. Second round: 1. Quade Potter, 3.6 seconds, $3,473; 2. 2. Will Lummus, 3.8, $3,020; 3. Kyle Irwin, 3.9, $2,567; 4. Cody Devers, 4.0, $2,114; 5. Sam Goings, 4.1, $1,661; 6. Bridger Anderson, 4.2, $1,208; 7. (tie) Winsten McGraw, Tanner Brunner and Travis Munro, 4.3, $352 each. Final round: 1. Bridger Anderson, 3.6 seconds, $1,276; 2. Dakota Eldridge, 3.7, $1,056; 3. Will Lummus, 3.8, $836; 4. Justin Shaffer, 4.4, $616; 5. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Kalane Anders, 4.5, $308 each. Average: 1. Will Lummus, 12.0 seconds on three runs; 2. Dakota Eldridge, 13.3, $4,530; 3. Kalane Anders, 13.6, 3,850; 4. Jacob Edler, 13.8, $3,171; 5. Bridger Anderson, 14.1, $2,491; 6. Ty Bauerle, 14.4, $1,812; 7. Tyler Wageuspack, 14.5, $1,132; 8. Justin Shaffer, 14.9, $453.

Team roping: First round: 1. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.9 seconds, $3,547 each; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 5.2, $3,085; 3. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.4, $2,622; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 5.5, $2,159; 5. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 5.6, $1,697; 6. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 5.7, $1,234; 7. (tie) Trey Blackmore/Whip Peterson and Clint Summers/Jake Long, 5.8, $540 each. Second round: 1. Reno Stoebner/L.J. Yeahquo, 4.7 seconds, $3,547; 2. Wyatt Muggli/Casey McCleskey, 4.9m $3,085; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 5.1, $2,622; 4. Trey Hall/Cale Morris, 5.4, $2,159; 5. Riley Kittle/Will Woodfin, 5.5, $2,159; 6. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.7, $1,234; 7. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 5.8, $771; 8. Shay Carrol/Jace Helton, 6.0, $308. Final round: 1. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 5.5 seconds, $1,240; 2. Shay Carroll/Jace Helton, 6.2, $1,026; 3. Wheston Jones/Blake Barnes, 6.9, $813; 4. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, $599; 5. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 7.7, $385; 6. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 8.0, $214. Average: 1. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 18.5 seconds on three head, $5,321 each; 2. Shay Dixon Carroll/Jace Helton, 19.5, $4,627; 3. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 19.6, $3,933; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 20.1, $3,239; 5. Wheston Jones/Blake Barnes, 20.9, $2,545; 6. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 21.6, $1,851; 7. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 22.7, $1,157; 8. Chad Masters/Wyatt Cox, 25.8, $463.

Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Gus Gaillard, 87.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Big Cloud, $3,325; 2. Brody Cress, 87, $2,549; 3. Isaac Diaz, 85, $1,884; 4. Colt Gordon, 84, $1,219; 5. (tie) Heston Harrison, Bailey Small and Tegan Smith, 83, $591 each; 8. (tie) Sterling Crawley and Jake Finlay, 82.5, $166 each. Finals: 1. (tie) Logan Cook, on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Smoke Wagon, Sterling Crawley, on Frontier Rodeo’s Big News, and Brody Cress, on Frontier Rodeo’s Two Hour Break, 86.5 points, $1,267 each; 4. (tie) Isaac Diaz and Jake Finlay, 85, $475 each; 6. Darcy Radel, 83, $250. Average: 1. Brody Cress, 173.5 points on two head, $3,325; 2. Isaac Diaz, 170, $2,549; 3. Sterling Crawley, 169, $1,884; 4. Logan Cook, 168.5, $1,219; 5. Jake Finlay, 167.5, $776; 6. Darcy Radel, 164.5, $554; 7. Parker Fleet, 163, $443; 8. Heston Harrison, 161.5, $332.

Breakaway roping: First round: 1. (tie) Ashley Goforth, Erin Johnson and Taylor Munsell, 2.5 seconds, $1,924 each; 4. Layni Masters, 2.6, $1,347; 5. Kaitlyn Ricke, 2.7, $1,058; 6. Braylee Shepherd, 2.8, $770; 7. (tie) Timber Allenbrand, McKenna Brennan and Shayla Hall, 2.9, $224 each. Second round leaders: 1. Tia Wallace, 2.0 seconds, $2,212; 2. (tie) McKenna Brennan and Danielle Lowman, 2.1, $1,780 each; 4. Maddy Deerman, 2.2, $1,347; 5. TiAda Gray, 2.4, $1,058; 6. Nicole Baggarley, 2.5, $770; 7. Rylie Smith, 2.6, $481; 8. (tie) Chenoa Vandestouwe and Martha Angelone, 2.7, $96 each. Finals: 1. Bradi Good, 2.7 seconds, $1,085; 2. Josie Conner, 3.1, $898; 3. Braylee Shepherd, 3.2, $711; 4. Baylee Lester, 3.3, $524; 5. (tie) Maddy Deerman and Kelsie Domer, 3.4, $262 each. Average: 1. Bradi Good, 9.2 seconds on three head, $3,319; 2. Braylee Shepherd, 9.3, $2,886; 3. Taylor Munsell, 9.4, $2,453; 4. Josie Conner, 9.5, $2,020; 5. Kaitlyn Ricke, 9.7, $1,587; 6. (tie) Maddy Deerman and Baylee Lester, 10.0, $938 each; 8. Kelsie Domer, 10.3, $289.

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Haven Meged, 7.9 seconds, $3,560; 2. Tuf Case Cooper, 8.3, $3,095; 3. Riley Mason Webb, 8.6, $2,631; 4. Riley Pruitt, 8.7, $2,167; 5. (tie) Kincade Henry and Zane Kilgus, 8.9, $1,470 each; 7. (tie) Ty Harris and Marty Yates, 9.3, $542 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Dylan Hancock and Zane Kilgus, 8.1 seconds, $3,327 each; 3. John Douch, 8.3, $2,631; 4. (tie) Riley Webb, Blane Cox and Kason Dyer, 8.4, $1,702 each; 7. Kincade Henry, 8.6, $774; 8. (tie) Ty Harris and Bryce Loyd, 8.7, $155 each. Final round: 1. Dylan Hancock, 8.2 seconds, $1,247; 2. Riley Mason Webb, 8.5, $1,032; 3. Blane Cox, 8.6, $817; 4. Pecos Tatum, 8.8, $602; 5. Ty Harris, 9.2, $387; 6. Clint Graves, 10.5, $215. Average: 1. Riley Mason Webb, 25.5 seconds on three head, $5,339; 2. Ty Harris, 27.2, $4,643; 3. Blane Cox, 27.5, $3,947; 4. Dylan Hancock, 27.7, $3,250; 5. Kincade Henry, 28.2, $2,554; 6. Clint Graves, 29.6, $1,857; 7. Pecos Tatum, 29.8, $1,161; 8. Garrett Elmore, 36.8, $464.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Paige Jones, 17.44 seconds, $2,291; 2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.50, $1,948; 3. Loralee Ward, 17.51, $1,604; 4. Tarryn Lee, 17.52, $1,375; 5. Hailey Kinsel, 17.53, $1,146; 6. Cindy Patrick, 17.56, $802; 7. Katelyn Scott, 17.61, $573; 8. Megan Albrecht, 17.62, $458; 9. Tana Renick, 17.64, $401; 10. Fallon Taylor, 17.70, $344; 11. Emily Beisel, 17.73, $286; 12. Jessica Routier, 17.74, $229. Second round: 1. (tie) Tracy Nowlin and Emily Beisel, 17.24 seconds, $2,119 each; 3. Chelsie Shoop, 17.32, $1,604; 4. (tie) Kathleen Menard and Hailey Kinsel, 17.33, $1,260 each; 6. Cindy Patrick, 17.36, $802; 7. (tie) Tana Renick and Paige Jones, 17.45, $516; 9. Kallie Gates, 17.46; 10. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.49, $344; 11. Tarryn Lee, 17.52, $286; 12. Austyn Tobey, 17.54, $229. Final round: 1. Paige Jones, 17.25 seconds, $1,782; 2. Emily Beisel, 17.27, $1,337; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.41, $891; 4. (tie) Tana Renick and Chelsie Shoop, 17.45, $223 each. Average: 1. Paige Jones, 52.14 seconds on three head, $3,437; 2. Emily Beisel, 52.24, $2,921; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 52.40, $2,406; 4. Tana Renick, 52.54, $2,062; 5. Chelsie Shoop, 52.63, $1,718; 6. Tarryn Lee, 52.67, $1,203; 7. Loralee Ward, 52.84, $859; 8. (tie) Tracy Nowlin and Kathleen Menard, 52.86, $644 each; 10. Megan Albrecht, 54.02, $516; 11. Hailey Kinsel, 57.26, $430; 12. Cindy Patrick, 58.40, $344.Steer roping: First round: 1. Cody Lee, 11.0 seconds, $1,802; 2. Tony Reina, 11.1, $1,567; 3. Vin Fisher Jr., 11.8, $1,332; 4. Luke Blanton, 12.4, $1,097; 5. (tie) Stratton Lopez, Cole Patterson, Brodie Poppino and Ryan Willberg, 13.5, $509 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Kyle Cauthorn and Jess Tierney, 10.2 seconds, $1,684 each; 3. Chet Herren, 10.3, $1,332; 4. Tanner Stec, 10.5, $1,097; 5. (tie) J. Tom Fisher, Tuff Hardman and Trenton Johnson, 10.6, $627 each; 8. (tie) John E. Bland and Jake Clay, 10.7, $78 each. Third round: 1. Chet Herren, 9.8 seconds, $1,802; 2. Will Eddleman, 9.9, $1,567; 3. Billy Good, 10.4, $1,332; 4. Tuff Hardman, 10.5, $1,097; 5. John E. Bland, 10.9, $862; 6. Ryan Willberg, 11.4, $627; 7. Brian Garr, 11.6, $392; 8. Coleman Proctor, 12.0, $157. Average: 1. Tony Reina, 37.2 seconds on three head, $2,703; 2. Vin Fisher Jr., 39.1, $2,350; 3. Will Eddleman, 41.7, $1,998; 4. Tuff Hardman, 42.5, $1,645; 5. Stratton Lopez, 43.2, $1,293; 6. Chet Herren, 20.1 on two head, $940; 7. John E. Bland, 21.6, $588; 8. Kyle Cauthorn, 23.5, $235.

Bull riding: First round: 1. (tie) Bubba Greig, on Frontier Rodeo’s Front & Center, and Jate Frost, on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Spotted Rust, 90 points, $3,074; 3. T.J. Gray, 87.5, $1,972; 4. Jackson Ward, 85, $1,276; 5. Ethan Skogquist, 84.5, $812; 6. (tie) Jestyn Woodward and Trevor Reiste, 83.5, $522; 8. Patterson Starcher, 82.5, $348. Final round: No qualified rides. Average: 1. (tie) Bubba Greig and Jate Frost, 90 points on one head, $3,074 each; 3. TJ Gray, 87.5, $1,972; 4. Jackson Ward, 85, $1,276; 5. Ethan Skogquist, 84.5, $812; 7. Jestyn Woodward, 83.5, $580; 8. Patterson Starcher, 82.5, $464; 9. Cooper James, 74, $348.