STEPHENVILLE, Texas (August 10, 2010) - When Ty Murray is asked if he ever thought the PBR would become what it is today, he can’t help but chuckle a little.
“I think we did, because this isn’t something where we sneezed and we [suddenly] had this successful thing,” he said. “It’s been a long time. It’s been a lot of work, and there have been a lot of failures along the way, and there have been some successes. It’s funny when people [ask], ‘Did you ever believe it could be this?’
“It’s a hard question to answer, because you had to have some kind of belief in what you were doing to get off your butt, to do it, to become a part of it and then to stay with it for so long and keep working at it.”
Through the years, the dreams of the PBR’s 20 founders have paid dividends.
This weekend in Nashville, Tenn., when the winner of the Jack Daniel’s Invitational collects his check, the PBR will surpass $100 million paid to bull riders since its founding in April of 1992.
“It’s not just the money, everything is better,” said Murray, in a Podcast posted at www.pbr.tv. “If you can win a World Championship in the PBR, there is no doubt that you are the best bull rider in the world.”
From the depth of the bull pens at PBR events, to world-class venues and equipment, to a top-notch sports medicine staff, today’s riders can make a substantially better living than those in the past.
“For the guys who started it, we’ve gotten to see our dreams come true through the guys who are riding now,” Murray explained. “It’s very exciting, but I think we’re still just as motivated as ever to continue to make this sport grow and for it to get the attention that it deserves.
“It’s too great of a sport, it requires too good of an athlete – both physically and mentally – for nobody to know about it.”
According to Murray, in 16-plus seasons of competition, the PBR has provided the riders with “a great competitive opportunity,” and has provided the fans with “the best bull riders and the best bulls.”
“It’s exciting to see someone like Justin McBride come in, have a 10-year career, a really good career and retire before the age of 30 comfortably,” said Murray.
McBride is among the greatest riders to have ever competed in the PBR. The two-time World Champion retired at the age of 29 having earned more than $5.5 million, the most of any western-sports athlete in history.
“When you put in a great career, we wanted a guy to have something to show for it when it was done,” Murray said. “It was hard watching our heroes, who had great, long careers, basically have to get a job the day they retired.
“We wanted to change that.”
Listen to the rest of Murray’s Podcast here.
NEWS and NOTES
J.W. Hart and his “PBR Now” co-host Justin McBride are expected to talk more about this topic and others Thursday on RFD beginning at 10 p.m. ET. Fans are encouraged to call 877-731-6733 or send them questions by emailing pbrnowshow@pbrnow.com.
