12 Cowboys to compete for a piece of America
Toughest Cowboy presented by Jägermeister
DENVER, January 29, 2009 – Twelve of the Toughest Cowboys that the rodeo world has to offer has survived the first test and have earned a jersey for the third season of “Toughest Cowboy.”
Unlike other rodeos where riders usually compete in just one discipline, Toughest Cowboy presented by Jägermeister, the triathlon for rodeo, 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 ultimate Toughest Cowboy Champion at the end of the seven tournament series will win the deed to a spectacular ranch in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming.
For the first time in the history of the Toughest Cowboy Tour, Spike TV will follow these cowboys every step of the way, searching for the next big superstar in rodeo. Toughest Cowboy, the new sports-competition reality series, will consist of one-hour episodes, airing every Thursday at 11 p.m. ET/PT produced by the world-renowned Mark Burnett. Burnett has produced popular shows such as Survivor, The Contender and The Apprentice. This series will be Rodeo through the eyes of the cowboys. Their Grit. Their Blood. Their Voices. The World’s only all-around roughstock competition.
This year’s field consists of 2007 Toughest Cowboy champion Bandy Murphy of Morgan Mill, Texas; two-time reserve champion Trey Broussard of Estherwood, LA; making their third consecutive appearance on the Tour are Chad Eubank of Cleburne, Texas, and Erik Wolford of Clinton, Mich.; returning for a second straight year Jared Green of Socorro, N.M., and Dusty Elkinton of Moundville, Mo.; and making their Toughest Cowboy debut are Steven Dent of Mullen, Neb., Steve Woolsey of Payson, Utah, Lance Kelly of College Station, Texas, Ben Londo of Athena, Ore., Charlie Barker of Terrebonne, Ore., and Mark Fisher of Weatherford, Texas.
Dent and Woolsey are fresh off competing at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Dent finished the 2008 season as the PRCA reserve champion bareback rider but does he have what it will take to be crowned the 2009 Toughest Cowboy? Woolsey, who is best known for his bull riding and finished the 2008 season fourth in the world, will have to do more than ride bulls well to win a piece of America. Both will be tested by Murphy, who won it all in 2007; Londo, who is strong in both the bareback riding and saddle bronc riding and has two College National Finals all-around titles to his name; Broussard, who has come within inches of two Toughest Cowboy titles and Lance Kelly, who won bareback and bull riding titles in Australia before coming to the United States and settling in Texas.
Their first test will come in Raleigh, N.C., where all 12 will ride a bareback horse, a saddle bronc horse and a bull. The cowboy with the highest combined score in all three events will be that tournaments champion and will earn immunity, meaning they can’t be eliminated at the next event.
The two cowboys with the lowest combined score will ride in the knock-out ride, which consists of an additional bull ride. The cowboy having the highest bull riding score in the knock-out round will remain on Tour with the other being eliminated from the competition. Each week someone will be eliminated with the Final Four competing at the finals in Chicago, Ill.
Cody Snyder of Medicine Hat, Alberta, and Pete Hawkins of Weatherford, Texas, will serve as the coaches for these 12 guys. In 1983, Snyder became the first Canadian to win a PRCA Bull Riding World Title. In 1993, he retired from competition but not from rodeo. He started the Cody Snyder BullBustin’ company and has produced hundreds of professional bull-riding events in North America. He has also worked as a color commentator on networks like VERSUS, ESPN, Rogers Sportsnet, TSN and has been the voice of the Calgary Stampede television broadcasts.
Hawkins qualified for the Wrangler NFR six-times in the bareback riding finishing as the reserve champion in 1999 by just $822. Always a colorful and flamboyant competitor he earned the nickname Pistol Pete. He retired from competition and currently works for a pipeline company in Texas. Both Snyder and Hawkins will be with the competitors every step of the way giving them pointers and advice that might just be the difference in them moving on or being eliminated.
Be sure to catch all the exciting action of Toughest Cowboy, which is revolutionizing the sport of rodeo, Thursdays on Spike TV. It is sure to change your definition of TOUGH.
Spike TV is available in 97.7 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's Press site at www.spike.com/press.
Spike TV
Spike TV is available in 97.7 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's Press site at www.spike.com/press.
About Grit Rock Rodeo/Toughest Cowboy
Toughest Cowboy is owned by Grit Rock Rodeo, which is owned by AEG Events & Media and an entity controlled by Jac Sperling. Grit Rock Rodeo is one of the largest producers of live and televised rodeo events in the world. Grit Rock Rodeo owns the World’s Toughest Rodeo, a national touring rodeo that consists of World’s Toughest Bulls and Broncs and Toughest Cowboy. Toughest Cowboy, a revolution in the sport, premiered in 2007 featuring cowboys competing in rodeo’s three toughest events – Bareback riding, Saddle bronc riding and Bull riding. The first two years were televised on Fox Sports Net, with the 2009 series being carried on Spike TV. For more information on rodeo’s triathlon series visit www.toughestcowboy.com.
About Mark Burnett Productions
Mark Burnett Productions (MBP) is a leading production company for primetime television, cable and the internet, and has produced over 1,100 hours of television programming which regularly airs in over 70 countries around the world. MBP revolutionized television with hits such as Survivor (CBS), The Apprentice (NBC), The Contender (Versus), Rock Star (CBS), the Steven Spielberg co-production On The Lot (FOX), the smash hit Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (FOX), which is currently being produced in 51 countries, and the daytime syndicated hit Martha (about to begin its 4th season). In the summers of 2007 and 2008, MBP entered the world of Award Shows, when Mark Burnett served as executive producer for the MTV Movie Awards. In October of 2007, MBP opened Mark Burnett Productions Asia; a joint venture with Genting International to both create new content for and adapt established formats in the Asian market. Since 2001, MBP has garnered a total of 51 Emmy nominations with 5 wins, and has won 4 People’s Choice Awards. Mark Burnett has been named one of the most influential people in the world by TIME magazine and named TV Guide’s most valuable player. He has won both BRANDWEEK’S Marketer of the Year Award and the prestigious ROSE D’OR FRAPA Format Award. In 2007, Mark Burnett was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. In 2008, Mark was honored with the announcement that he is to receive a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. This year will continue with new shows for MBP, including Star Maker (MTV), Wedding Day (TNT), Bully Beatdown (MTV), How’d You Get So Rich? (TV Land), Toughest Cowboy (Spike), and Expedition (History Channel), as well as Survivor 18, Contender 4, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader 3 and Apprentice 8.
About AEG
AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, The Home Depot Center, Sprint Center, The O2, NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE and NOKIA Theatre Times Square; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), two Major League Soccer franchises, a Major League Lacrosse team, two hockey franchises operated in Europe, management of privately held shares of the Los Angeles Lakers, the ING Bay to Breakers foot race and the Amgen Tour of California cycling road race; AEG LIVE, the organization's live-entertainment division, is a collection of companies dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring and a variety of programming and multi-media production.
