story by Siri Stevens
Jesse Pope started riding sheep when he was in first grade. From there, the 2016 National High School Bareback Riding Champion from Waverly, Kansas, moved up to calves and steers. He got on his first miniature bucking horse in 2007 at a winter rodeo series in Kellyville, Oklahoma. That’s where he got his start riding bucking horses. “It’s easier to start on ponies instead of waiting till you get in high school,” he explained. “When I was in sixth grade, I started getting on ponies, then I took a break to let my body mature.” He got on again in his freshman year, and was the only freshman to make it back to the short go at the NHSFR. “Getting on the ponies and having the feel down, and then letting my body mature was the best thing I could have done. I had to learn how to take the power of the horse instead of trying to learn it all at the same time.”
The competitive edge is what drives Jesse to be the best. “My parents (Jennifer and Bret) didn’t rodeo; dad was a track star in high school. It’s our natural desire to be competitive.” Jesse played football, basketball and was on the track team when he was a freshman. Last year he wanted to focus on rodeo, so he quit. “I had a lot more time at home to work on stuff.” He focused on working on the muscle memory, making sure he had the basics down on the spur board. “Every horse is different, you have to do the basics and go with the flow.” He also added hours and hours at the gym to his routine.
His Finals came down to the last ride. “I didn’t have the horse to win the first round; second round I took third, and I drew the horse I had in the short round for 80 points and won the average. I knew the worst I could do was win second.” Brian Brown broke his riggin and declined his reride which moved Jesse into the title position. “It’s pretty amazing – all the hard work finally paid off,” he said of the National title. Jesse works out every night. He does CrossFit, weights and lots of sprints. “Everything is fast; you have to be in shape; you use your whole body.” He does sprints to strengthen his legs and make him faster. “You have to have fast feet – they are bucking so fast and your goal is to beat them to the ground. That’s what separates the boys from the men.” He also learned from several schools along the way. “When I was little, a guy down the road, George Steinberger, the one that started Will Lowe, put on bareback schools and Will was the instructor.” He also went to Kaycee Feild’s school, Cowboy Outfitters School in Spanish Fork. He educated himself going up and down the road talking to people, “Listening to guys that are making a living at it.” The competitive edge has rubbed off on his two younger brothers, Judd, 10, and Ty, 14. They are both looking up to their big brother. “They want to practice just as much as I do; they want to go and win.”
After the finals, the family went to see Mount Rushmore. They were home Monday, and Tuesday, Jesse headed to Iowa to rodeo. The remainder of his summer will be spent competing before heading back to school and the KHSRA rodeos. He is not sure where he plans to attend college, but the plan is to go and get a degree in ranch management and learn how to AI and preg-check cows. He’s unsure if he plans to start on his permit when he turns 18 in October or wait until college.
Jesse’s plan for this next year is to go back and do the same thing he did this year. As for the future, he plans to stay alive and go do something … be successful and have a family when it’s all said and done.
