Murphy captures first tournament win of 2008, leads standings for Jäger Ranch
Ann Bleiker

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2008 World’s Toughest Rodeo featuring Toughest Cowboy^™ presented by Jägermeister got underway at the newly built Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. 

Winning the first stop on the 2008 Tour was Bandy Murphy of Weatherford, Okla. Murphy was matched against Logan Hodson of Telwka, B.C.  Murphy, sponsored by The Home Depot, started strong winning the bareback riding with 86 points to Hodson’s 82. However in the saddle bronc riding, Hodson scored a win defeating Murphy by a five-point spread. Murphy solidified his spot in the match winning the bull riding by a spread of 45 points, which brought his event total to 229 points to Hodson’s 185 and three wins to one.

“Last year when I heard they were launching this series I thought it was tailor-made for me,” said Murphy, who won the inaugural season in 2007. “Getting this first win is a great start to the season. This is my creed and what my entire focus is for the next couple months. Hopefully, I will add another Toughest Cowboy title to my resume along with the deed to Jäger Ranch.”

Coming in second to Murphy in the overall competition was Nelson Tsosie of Farmington, N.M. with three wins and a total of 228 points. Tsosie, sponsored by B&W Trailer Hitches was matched again Jägermeister’s Clovis Crane of Lebanon, Pa., who finished with one win and 200 points. Crane won the bareback riding but it was Tsosie who won the saddle bronc riding and bull riding. In fact, Tsosie turned in an event high of 85 points to win the bull riding. Trey Broussard who was matched against Chad Eubank was the only other competitor to match Tsosie’s 85-point bull ride on the night.

B.J. Schumacher, the 2006 PRCA World Champion Bull Rider, is a new face on the 2008 Toughest Cowboy Tour and at his first event he was matched against Danny Ward, another new face on this year’s Tour. Schumacher, of Hillsboro, Wis., finished the night with three wins to one after winning the saddle bronc riding, bull riding and the overall point match total, which was 197 points to 124. Schumacher, who is sponsored by Polaris, looks for a stronger showing at the second stop in Raleigh, N.C.

Toughest Cowboy presented by Jägermeister is revolutionizing the sport by introducing an exciting and innovative format to audiences across the United States. Unlike other rodeos where riders usually compete in just one discipline, Toughest Cowboy is an unprecedented test of endurance as all competitors must ride in three disciplines in one night (Bareback Riding, Saddle Bronc Riding and Bull Riding). The events feature head-to-head matches throughout the season leading to the playoffs and championship…ultimately crowning someone the Toughest Cowboy Champion.

Jägermeister, the country’s best selling shot brand and top selling imported liqueur, is the first presenting sponsor of the Toughest Cowboy rodeo competition and tour in 2008. The Champion at the end of the season will be awarded the deed to the beautiful Jäger Ranch located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

For more information on this popular event visit www.toughestcowboy.com.