Jess Pope Chasing Top Spot Among Bareback Riders at This Year’s NFR

The 2025 rodeo season has been one for the history books. Athletes across the world are now preparing for the National Finals Rodeo and a few former world champions will enter the Thomas and Mack arena looking to reclaim their title. Bareback rider Jess Pope sits at No. 4 in the world and after taking the crown in 2022, he is itching to take it back.

As a former world champion, Pope has had a solid season, he’s earned $203,629 this season, marking him as one of the sports top earners this year and setting the bar high for those coming in behind him in the standings.

The athlete out of Waverly, Kansas has championed eight rodeos, and co-championed five during his 2025 regular season run. His big wins include the Kitsap Stampede, Cinch World's Toughest Rodeo, and the Black Hills Round-up.

Just outside of the top 3, Pope remains just $4,000 behind Bradlee Miller who holds the No. 2 spot. If he has a solid NFR run, Pope could beat out his opponents in the top two, including Sam Petersen (No. 2 ) who has earned $221,901.

Jess Pope Looking To Take Back World Champion Title At 2025 NFR

The second and third places may be up for grabs among the top bareback athletes, but the No. 1 spot belongs to Rocker Steiner. At No. 1 he’s earned $303,547, marking him as almost untouchable ahead of entering the Thomas and Mack arena. But the NFR is known to almost double the season earnings for some contestants, so a solid run may push Pope to the title he vies for.

Pope won the world title in 2022 earning a career-high $390,620. Comparing that to Steiner’s earnings ahead of the NFR just proves how much the sport has evolved in just a few years. Pope knows he is capable of earning that much, and has set out to do so at the NFR in December.

Since entering the PRCA in 2018, Pope has consistently made the NFR every season since 2020. He has three NFR average titles (2020-2022) and continues to raise the bar for bareback riders. At just 27, he will definitely be a top contender in the Thomas and Mack arena.

With just weeks to go until the NFR, Pope is taking this time to get better, making waves at Alva College Rodeo by being a pickup man.

This time is crucial for athletes heading to the NFR, and Pope will have to bring his A-game in order to beat out the three athletes ahead of him and take back the World Champion title from Dean Thompson who sits at No. 8.

Jess Pope Looking To Take Back World Champion Title At 2025 NFR

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