When the gate opened and Bridwell Pro Rodeo bucking horse No Tail Dell lunged out into the arena, Jayco Roper was ready. He knew very little about the animal, gleaming intel from one video he had found online. All it showed was that the horse could be a "hopper." Still, everything came together for an 87-point ride during the first performance of the Redding (Calif.) Rodeo, allowing Roper to get a much-needed victory. Getting jostled around during the competition was certainly difficult for the veteran bareback rider. But it paled in comparison to the journey and stress of actually getting to the rodeo. On May 15, Roper rode Beutler & Son Rodeo's Unleashed to an 86-point ride at the Santa Rosa Roundup in Vernon, Texas, picking up the victory. The euphoria of a win didn't last long as his flight from Texas to California continually got delayed. "We literally had to call the stock contractor and tell him, 'Hold our horses as long as you can because we're going to be photo fini...