Ty Murray Is Back; Working On
Seventh World Championship

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — It’s official: Ty is back.

A three-year battle with knee and shoulder injuries behind him, six-time world all-around rodeo champion Ty Murray earned more than $11,500 and the saddle bronc riding average title at the recent Southwestern Livestock Exposition and Rodeo in Fort Worth. The former champ collected a $6554 average payoff and the event’s average title.

The win in Fort Worth gave Murray a jump on his quest to become the first person ever to earn seven PRCA world all-around titles. His current six world all-around titles — earned in 1989-94, ties him with rodeo legends Larry Mahan and Tom Ferguson for the PRCA world all-around title.

Murray hoped to break the record in 1995 but was sidelined with a serious knee injury. Murray returned to competition in 1996 with the intention of earning a record seventh world all-around title, but injury struck again — this time to Murray’s left shoulder. A dislocated right shoulder last February put Murray out of the world title hunt again in 1997.

Like Murray, steer wrestler Ote Berry knows what it’s like to watch from the sidelines. The four-time world champ from Checotah, Okla., sat out the 1997 season with a fractured left elbow. But Berry, too, was back in championship form in Fort Worth. The 35 year-old downed three steers in 13.3 seconds to tie with Mickey Gee of Wichita Falls, Texas, for the rodeo’s steer wrestling average title. Berry took home $8468.

Standings by event:

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Dan Mortensen, Manhattan, Mont., $17,014; 2. Ty Murray, $12,160; 3. Tom Reeves, Eagle Butte, S.D., $11,499; 4. Bobby Griswold, Moore, Okla., $10,418; 5. T.C. Holloway, Eagle Butte, S.D., $10,311.

Bareback riding: 1. Jon Brockway, Fort Worth, $11,058; 2. Larry Sandvick, Kaycee, Wyo., $10,685; 3. Jason Jeter, Arlington, Texas, $9840; 4. Scott Lund, Bozeman, Mont., $8782; 5. James Boudreaux, Hackberry, La., $8334.

Bull riding: 1. Blu Bryant, Nacogdoches, Texas, $13,603; 2. Robert Bowers, Duchess, Alberta, Canada, $11,156; 3. Tony Booth, Saginaw, Texas, $10,008; 4. Mark Ward, North Platte, Neb., $9353; 5. Brian Herman, Victoria, Texas, $8950.

Calf roping: 1. Chris Neal, Muldrow, Okla., $14,246; 2. Marty Wells, Sulphur, Okla., $14,218; 3. Coy Kummer, Briggsdale, Colo., $12,085; 4. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, $12,062; 5. Cody Ohl, Orchard, Texas, $10,966.

Steer wrestling: 1. Mickey Gee, $10,714; 2. Lee Graves, Calgary, Alberta, $8717; 3. Ote Berry, Checotah, Okla., $8461; 4. Tim Segelke, Snyder, Colo., $8427; 5. Steve Duhon, Sonora, Texas, $8114.

Team roping (heading): 1. Mike Fuller, Clarkston, Wash., $8436; 2. Charly Brett Crawford, Canby, Ore., $6643; 3. Matt Tyler, Corsicana, Texas, $6521; 4. Bret Boatright, Mulhall, Okla., $6363; 5. Bobby Hurley, Ceres, Calif., $5946.

Steer roping: 1. Mark Freeman, Freedom, Okla., $6306; 2. Bucky Hefner, Chelsea, Okla., $5116; 3. Buster Record Jr., Buffalo, Okla., $3689; Grady Potter, Arkansas City, Kan., $3689; 5. Guy Allen, Lovington, N.M., $1874.

Barrel racing: 1. Sherry Cervi, Midland, Texas, $15,186; 2. Jill Batencourt, Guthrie, Okla., $9626; 3. Melissa Hubier, Cleveland, Texas, $9531; 4. Tacy Lynn Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., $8597; 5. Sue Miller, Lott, Texas, $8435.