July 21, 2008
By Ann Bleiker

Murphy finishes third in the bull riding at California Rodeo Salinas

WEATHERFORD, Okla. – 2007 Toughest Cowboy Champion, Bandy Murphy, has been riding bulls in the PRCA and recently picked up a nice check at the California Rodeo Salinas. The California Rodeo Salinas is one of PRCA’s top 20 rodeos and is part of the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour series.

Murphy of Weatherford, Okla., finished third in the aggregate with a two head score of 161 points and picked up a checks totaling $4,120. Murphy was one of only three riders to last the required eight seconds on two bulls. Howdy Cloud of Kountze, Texas, won the event with a total score of 170 points, with Shawn Proctor (no relation to Shane Proctor) of Tooele, Utah, finished second with 162.

Murphy posted a score of 78 points in the first round, finishing tied for seventh. He returned in the final round and finished with an 83, which was good for third in the round. With just two months left in the 2008 rodeo season, Murphy is currently 36th in the PRCA Crusher World Standings with $25,607, but is in the top 30 in the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour standings and is in good position to make the Ariat Playoffs Caldwell (Idaho) Round, Aug. 12-16. The top 35 contestants in the standings after the final stop in Dodge City, Kan., on Aug. 3 will qualify.