Murphy Earns Second Buckle at Heartland ProRodeo Championships

By Susan Kanode
Posted Saturday, October 10, 2009

WACO, Texas --- Bandy Murphy is setting the standard in bull riding with just two of nine performances completed at the Heartland ProRodeo Championships.

Murphy, who lives at Morgan Mill, Texas had the high point rides at each performance and has already earned two trophy belt buckles and has the potential to earn four more. He is the high money winner here so far having collected checks totaling $5,028. At the first performance he missed the arena record by one point with a 90-point ride on David Bailey Rodeo’s bull named Billionaire. He came back in front of a standing room only crowd and scored 84 points on Smoke owned by Classic Pro Rodeo.

Several other contestants from the first group here cashed in at both performances. Cody DeMoss and Heath Ford both won on Friday and placed second on Saturday. DeMoss, from Heflin, La., will be a favorite to watch in saddle bronc riding while Ford, from Greeley, Colo., will be one to watch in bareback riding.

Ryan Stutes, a former college standout won the bareback riding with an 87-point effort on Lancaster and Pickett Rodeo’s Top Flight. Stutes is second behind Ford in the earnings category with $3,457. Ford has $4,400.

In steer wrestling, former world champion Mickey Gee secured a place in the progressive round with a 4.2 second run. Gee and Brent Arnold from Coleman, Texas each have earnings of $2,514.

Jesse James Kirby from Dodge, City, Kan., won the saddle bronc riding with an 82-point ride on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s horse named Dillinger. Kirby was just one point of DeMoss who had an 81 on Saturday.

The tie-down roping title went to Clint Cooper from Decatur, Texas. Cooper’s time of 8.0 secured him a spot in the progressive round with $2,514 in earnings.

Oklahomans Nick Sartain and Kollin VonAhn were part of a tie for first in team roping, but they moved to the top of the leader board in earnings. They each have $3,143 here so far. Wes Kent from Grand Cane, La., and Bobby Baize, from Anthony, N.M., were the duo to tie with Sartain and VonAhn. They each had times of 4.9 seconds, the fastest in the team roping here so far.

The third performance of the Heartland ProRodeo Championships at the Heart O’ Texas Fair and Rodeo will begin on Sunday at 4 p.m, where the second group of contestants will be making their first appearance.

WACO, Texas --- The following are results from the second performance of the Heartland ProRodeo Championships at the Heart O’ Texas Fair Rodeo, Saturday, October 10, 2009.

Bareback Riding: 1, Ryan Stutes, Sulphur, La., 87 points on Lancaster and Pickett Rodeo’s Top Flight, $2,514. 2, Heath Ford, Greeley, Colo., 81, $1,886. 3, D.V. Fennell, Neosho, Mo., 77, $1,257. 4, Mickey Downare, Hartsel, Colo., 74, $629. (Progressive round qualifiers) 1, Ford, $4,400. 2, Stutes, $3,457. 3, Fennell, $2,200. 4, Mo Heaton, Paradise, Utah, $1,886.

Tie-Down Roping: 1, Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 8.0, $2,514. 2, Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas, 8.5, $1,886. 3, Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 11.8, $1,257. 4, Chris Bradford, Kountze, Texas, 12.4, $629. (Progressive round qualifiers) 1, Gray, $3,143. 2(tie), Cooper and Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., $2,514. 4, Kormos, $1,886.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Mickey Gee, Wichita Falls, Texas, 4.2 seconds, $2,514. 2 (tie), Brent Arnold, Coleman, Texas, and Jake Hettinger, Bowie, Texas, 4.3, $1,571. 4 (tie), Jeff Miller, Blue Mound, Kan., and Britt Walters, Huntsville, Texas, 5.0, $314. (Progressive round qualifiers) 1 (tie), Gee, and Arnold, $2,514. 3 (tie), Casey Martin, Sulphur, La., and Matt Reeves, Pampa, Texas, $2,200.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Jesse James Kirby, Dodge City, Kan., 82 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Dillinger, $2,514. 2, Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 81, $1,886. 3, Isaac Diaz, Stephenville, Texas, 77, $1,257. 4, Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 73, $629. (Progressive round qualifiers) 1, DeMoss, $4,400. 2, Kirby, $2,514. 3 (tie), Muncy and Mike Outhier, Utopia, Texas, $1,886.

Team Roping: 1 (tie), Wes Kent, Grand Cane, La., and Bobby Baize, Anthony, N.M.; and Nick Sartain, Yukon, Okla., and Kollin VonAhn, Durant, Okla., 4.9 seconds, $2,200 each. 3, Joel Bach, Millsap, Texas, and Allen Bach, Weatherford, Texas, 5.1, $1,257. 4, Jake Kropik, Midway, Texas, and Wade Clayton, Beasley, Texas, 5.2, $629. (Progressive round qualifiers) 1, Sartain and VonAhn, $3,143. 2 (tie), Kropik and Clayton; and Bubba Bohac, Victoria, Texas, and B. J. Dugger, Center Point, Texas, $2,514. 4, Kent and Baize, $2,200.

Bull Riding: 1, Bandy Murphy, Morgan Mill, Texas, 84 points on Classic Pro Rodeo’s Smoke, $2,514. 2, Tyler Willis, Wheatland, Wyo., 81, $1,886. 3, Lonnie Carpenter, Haysville, Kan., 79, $1,257. 4, Cody Wood, Weatherford, Texas, 77, $629. (Progressive round qualifiers) 1, Murphy, $5,028. 2 (tie), Willis and Tate Stratton, Stanley, N.M., $1,886. 4, Carpenter, $1,257.