Jayco Roper has finished inside the Top 40 since he joined the PRCA in 2020 and after finishing 19th in 2022, 2023 was his finally his year to break through to the big show.
At 22, Roper is heading to his first National Finals Rodeo as the No. 9 ranked bareback rider in the World with $127,968 after never earning more than $66,000 in a season.
BIGGEST PAYDAYS
Puyallup Cinch Playoffs (Washington), $13,888
Roper went from No. 11 to No. 8 in the PRCA World Standings with a win at the first leg of the Cinch Playoffs at the Washington State Fair. Tying in the Top 3 of both Round 1 and 2 of Puyallup moved Roper on to the Semifinals. There, he was 85.5 points before matching up with Calgary Stampede’s Agent Lynx in the Finals for 91 points to share the win with Clayton Biglow. Rookie standouts Keenan Hayes and Kade Sonnier shared third with 90.5 points each.
Reno Rodeo, $11,649
At the rodeo that kicked off the Summer Run, Roper found himself the champion in Reno, which was a Top 10 paying rodeo in 2023. His rides in Round 1 and 2 were good enough to pull a check in each round before he climbed on Little Red Hawk in the Finals to be 86 and win the Average with 253 points. Four-time NFR qualifier Cole Reiner was second with 251.
HIGHEST MARKED RIDES
San Angelo Cinch Chute Out, 88.5 points
Roper’s only 90+ Point Ride in his career came in Puyallup in September, but he had other high-marked rides to note. In April, Roper would find himself with a second-place finish after going 88.5 points in the Long Round of the Cinch Chute Out on the NFR bucking horse, Topped Off of Pickett Pro Rodeo. He was 87.5 points the same night to take second in the Short Round.
MSU-Northern Extreme Bares and Broncs, 88.5 Points
Roper won almost $3,000 for a second place finish in Bozeman as he finishd a half-point behind Jacek Frost.
Dodge City Roundup Rodeo (Kansas), 88 points
After tying for fourth in Round 1, Roper would best his Round 1 score by three points in the Finals to win the round. He did so on Gun Fire of Frontier Rodeo and earned $4,737 for a second place finish at the rodeo.
NOTABLE WINS
Basin City Freedom Rodeo (Washington), 83.5 points
Although this score was not one of Roper’s best, it was the best in Basin City, Washington and it was the kind of payday that keeps things rolling over Cowboy Christmas. Splitting the win after his ride on Corey & Lange Rodeo’s Buckkaroo was worth more than $4,400.
Wayne Herman Invitational Xtreme Broncs (North Dakota), 87.5 points
In Golden Valley, North Dakota Roper would have a $4,800 payday after making an 87.5-point ride on Bailey Pro Rodeo’s Little Bug to end up as the No.1 bareback rider by more than three points. It was part of a stretch in which he won checks of more than $1,000 on 6-of-9 rides in the middle of August.
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