‘King of the Cowboys’ Ty Murray announces his retirement at 32
(STEPHENVILLE, TX—May 14, 2002)--The greatest cowboy of all time is announcing his retirement today after an unparalleled 14-year career in professional rodeo and bull riding. Ty Murray, a.k.a “The King of the Cowboys,” is leaving the arena at the top of his game with more than $3 million in career earnings.
“I’ve been thinking about it all year, because I don’t have the focus, drive and intensity I’ve had in the past,” said Murray, 32. “You have to have a fire in you for this sport, because it’s way too dangerous to do it as an afterthought, and I’ve never been interested in competing at any capacity less than that of a serious contender. I’ve always promised myself that I’d retire before I started to backslide, and I’m keeping that promise.”
The nine-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) world champion, who is the only seven-time world champion all-around cowboy in professional rodeo history, has been the Professional Bull Riders’ (PBR) reserve world champion the last three years straight. He won the PBR Bud Light Cup World Finals event in 1999; and the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo average championships in 1993 (bareback riding) and 1998 (bull riding). Murray also won PRCA world bull riding titles in 1993 and 1998.
Murray was the PRCA/Resistol overall and bareback riding rookie of the year in 1988 and dominated the sport throughout his stellar career with countless cowboy records. The youngest cowboy millionaire in rodeo history, a feat he accomplished at 23, Murray was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2000.
“I’ve had a great career, and I don’t feel like I have anything to gain by staying out there if my heart’s not in it,” Murray said. “I always said I’d ride as long as I could be competitive at the world-class level and as long as it continued to be fun. I feel like I’ve accomplished everything I wanted to, so there’s no other brass ring for me to grab.”
Murray has been sidelined recently by nagging injuries to his neck and riding (right) hand, though he emphasizes that the injuries did not determine his decision to retire.
“I’ve always trained like a mad man,” said Murray, who was ranked 10th in the PBR Bud Light Cup points standings when he left the arena the first week in April. “Training was something I wanted to do, because it was an extension of trying to win and I’ve always done whatever it took to be the very best I could be. It was a great feeling to work so hard that I almost felt invincible, but at this point in my career I don’t have the drive to do what it takes to compete at the highest level, and if I can’t compete at the highest level I’m not interested.”
Murray plans to spend more time at home on the ranch he bought with rodeo and bull riding earnings in Stephenville, Texas.
“I’ll miss the riding, but look forward to the chance to enjoy what I’ve worked for,” he said. “I’ll have more time for some of the other things I really love, like my family, riding colts and taking care of the cows at my ranch, which has been a lifelong dream of mine. I also moved my parents here in June and it’ll be great to spend more time fishing and hanging out at my cabin with them.”
As a PBR founding member and board of director, Murray will maintain his active role in the management and growth of the PBR. He’ll also continue to support the prosperity of professional rodeo in various capacities, including commentating on the PRCA’s NFR telecast in December.
