Toughest Cowboy heads to Raleigh, N.C.,  tune to FSN to see if Murphy can go two for two
Ann Bleiker

DENVER – The 2008 World’s Toughest Rodeo^™ featuring Toughest Cowboy^™ presented by Jägermeister, the ironman event of rodeo, makes its next stop in a state known for its college basketball. Raleigh, N.C., is home to North Carolina State and is short drive to Duke University in Durham and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hills. The RBC Center, home to the Stanley Cup Carolina Hurricanes, will be the featured venue for the second stop on the nine stop Toughest Cowboy Tour and Fox Sports Network (FSN) will broadcast the exciting action beginning this weekend. Twelve cowboys began their quest last week for the Toughest Cowboy title and a shot at winning the deed to Jäger Ranch, but following the stop in Raleigh, two cowboys will be eliminated from the race.

After the first stop in Kansas City, Bandy Murphy of Weatherford, Okla., made it known that he would be the man to beat again this year. Murphy defeated Logan Hodson and picked up three valuable wins. In Toughest Cowboy, unlike a typical rodeo, each competitor is matched against another competitor and tournament winners are based on total wins and then total points.

This week, Murphy will be matched against Danny Ward of Mabank, Texas. In Kansas City, Ward was matched against 2006 PRCA World Champion Bull Rider B.J. Schumacher and lost the match three to one. Therefore, Ward is in jeopardy of being eliminated if he has another poor showing in Raleigh and facing the 2007 Toughest Cowboy champion it won’t be an easy battle.

Shane Proctor of Powell, Wyo., had a rough start in Kansas City and found himself eighth in the overall standings, with only one win. This week in Raleigh, he will be matched against Wade Sundell of Boxholm, Iowa, who is sixth overall with two wins. Will Proctor rebound from his disappointing finish in Kansas City or will he be facing elimination in Raleigh? Tune to FSN to see how it all plays out.

Fans can watch each exciting episode of Toughest Cowboy weekly on several FSN affiliates in primetime (day and time depend on each affiliate) and at midnight every Saturday nationwide, please consult local listings. Each show will take fans into the heart of the action to savor the triumph, suffer the anguish and share the intensity of the ultimate challenge that is Toughest Cowboy.

Rodeo is among the fastest growing sports in America, and Toughest Cowboy presented by Jägermeister is revolutionizing the sport by introducing an exciting and innovative format to new audiences in venues 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, Bull Riding and Saddle Bronc Riding). The events feature head-to-head matches throughout the season leading to the playoffs and championship…ultimately crowning someone the Toughest Cowboy Champion.

Toughest Cowboy is a true test of endurance and strength and only the strong will survive. All 12 cowboys must come ready to ride both bulls and broncs every night eight seconds at a time. In the end, one competitor will be crowned the champion and become the new owner of Jäger ranch.

For more information on this rodeo revolution visit www.toughestcowboy.com.