A New Pope Has Arrived in Kansas

By Ted Harbin

Photo Courtesy of Syndnee Jess Linlee

One of the topics of interest this past weekend in the Oklahoma Panhandle was 2022 world champion bareback rider Jess Pope.

How could the three-time Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo champion miss out on an opportunity to win a fourth trophy belt?

There were more important matters to tend to back home. Instead of riding bucking horses, Pope was where he was supposed to be: Olathe (Kansas) Hospital, where his wife was in labor. And, boy, was she in labor. It was an all-day deal, Sydnee Pope went into labor in the morning of Saturday, May 2. Linlee Jean Pope arrived at 1:10 a.m. Sunday, May 3.

She weighed 8.6 pounds and was 20.5 inches long. She is the Popes’ first child and will certainly keep those home fires burning for Dad. When he’s not rodeoing, Jess Pope is still all cowboy. When he’s not managing his own herd, he’s helping a neighbor. He likes his place in eastern Kansas, and Linlee will provide an additional spark to the kindling that’s always stoked.

Maybe his desire to be home is why Jess Pope is one of the very best bareback riders in the sport. He owns one gold buckle and three average championships at the National Finals Rodeo. He’s won almost $2 million at the NFR alone, and, in six trips to ProRodeo’s grand finale, has never finished worse than fifth in either the average race or the world standings.

Pope was where he needed to be last weekend. A father witnessing a child’s birth is a gift from God, and he doesn’t take that for granted. He has something more precious than gold with his bride and his baby girl.

“Jean is my Grandma Bickham’s middle name,” Sydnee Pope texted. “Linlee comes from Lee, which is my Grandpa Odle’s middle name.

“Jesse likes it because he can call her Leonard.”

She accentuated that remark with a laughing emoji, because Jess Pope is a funny cat. It’s one of the many things she loves about him, and it goes along with a personality that shines in the brightest of moments and helps him maintain a steady approach to his work, whether he’s wrangling a bull in the pasture or winning another round in Las Vegas.

Sydnee and Jess Pope have been anticipating the moments of Linlee’s birth for months. It’s that rush that maintained them over the ups and downs that come with pregnancy and, of course, that long day in the hospital.

It’s time to celebrate. A new Pope is in the house.