Jayco Roper Shares New Routine Qualifying Him for First NFR

The 22-year-old bareback rider shares how he changed his strategy to qualify for his first National Finals Rodeo.

Katelyn Moore | Oct 13, 2023

Jayco Roper Shares New Routine Qualifying Him for First NFR /

Finishing the 2023 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association regular season ninth in the world standings, Jayco Roper successfully qualified for his first National Finals Rodeo in the bareback riding. The Oktaha, Oklahoma, cowboy comes from a long line of professional rodeo athletes, as his grandmother Betty Roper won the International Professional Rodeo Association barrel racing in 1972.

Roper's improvement has shown in recent years, finishing 19th in the world standings in 2022. He shared his main shift between seasons was a cleaner diet, consistent fitness routines, and "being overall more dedicated to it.”

“I’m super excited to make it this year. I’ve got the circuit finals which will be my last rodeo before I’ll be getting nervous for the big show." said Roper.

Roper will be competing at the Ram Prairie Circuit finals in Duncan, Okla. Oct. 12-14.

While switching from driver to driver every couple hours, Roper prefers podcasts over music, naming Joe Rogan and Theo Von as his favorites to listen to. He also shared an unusual ritual of his before he and his hauling partners, Dean Thompson and Jacob Lees, hit the road to the next rodeo.

“Usually when we’re up North, we’ll find the nearest river and get in it, it’s called a cold plunge,” said Roper.

The athlete’s prevalent social media following is hard to miss, garnering over 66,000 followers. Roper makes TikTok videos about his life on the road while rodeoing with his hauling partners, and shares tips on preparing bareback riding equipment.

“A lot of the fans on Tik Tok want to be bareback riders and they look up to me. People I don’t even know tell me how they want to ride like me, I think that’s pretty cool,” said Roper.

Roper claimed some exciting wins in 2023 including Rodeo Minot, N.D., Reno, Nevada, and the Washington State Fair. The Oklahoma cowboy said his favorite ride of the season was on "Agent Lynx" in Calgary, Alberta.

“That has been my highest score so far in my career and has definitely been the best feeling horse of my career,” Roper said of his ride on Agent Lynx.

Roper will make his NFR debut alongside a few other first-time qualifiers in the bareback riding Dec. 7-16, in Las Vegas.

Published Oct 13, 2023

KATELYN MOORE

Katelyn is a budding agribusiness and agricultural communications professional with a passion for advocating for agriculture. Her life has always revolved around all things agriculture, being born and raised on her family’s Central Texas ranch. Growing up while heavily involved with her family’s first generation cow-calf operation instilled Katelyn with a greater appreciation for the western lifestyle and the tribulations that follow. Learning the process of beef cattle production early in life led to eventually raising her own market show steers and competing in livestock range judging on the National level. Still academically and agriculturally motivated, Katelyn now resides in Oklahoma where she studies agricultural communications and agribusiness at Oklahoma State University. Here, she has continued her tradition of academic excellence, using her unshakeable ambition to earn yearly accolades for her dedication and work ethic in the classroom. Now joining Sports Illustrated on their western feature, Rodeo Daily, Katelyn plans to continue advocating for western industries through her vast knowledge and agricultural competence.