Happy New Year Everyone!

In my last update, I promised to follow up on the PBR Bud Light World Challenge event we had in Austin, Texas. The event went great, and the PBR's live prime-time network television debut was a big success. We're hoping to make it an annual event, and NBC was so happy with how things went that they're interested in working with us again on future projects. What a huge shot in the arm for this sport.

I commentated on the ESPN and ESPN2 telecasts at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo again this year, and that's always really fun for me. That's the greatest rodeo in the world, and it's a chance for me to bring an inside perspective to the fans and hopefully draw more fans to the sport. I also wrote my "Ty Murray NFR Report" again, and got a lot of great feedback on it. Las Vegas sponsors the column, and has been a great host to the NFR since 1985. It's still posted at prorodeo.com if you want to check it out. I had a chance to visit "ground zero" in New York City with Jewel last month, and that was a pretty incredible experience. We got right down in the center of it, and the devastation was overwhelming. It doesn't matter how much you see it on TV, there's no way to truly realize the magnitude and scope of what happened without seeing it for yourself like that. I've never felt so small.

We were there 100 days after September 11th, and it was still steaming and smoking when those massive cranes would tear a chunk out of the rubble. You couldn't find a piece of concrete bigger than a baseball, and that's pretty amazing considering those towers were skyscrapers made of concrete that basically got reduced to powder. It was unreal.

We kicked off the new PBR season the last weekend in December in Portland, Ore., and I was tickled to see my old buddy Jim Sharp win it. If I can't win one I want Jim to - we've been best friends for 15 years. Jim's who I've looked up to my whole career. I went to Odessa College because Jim went to Odessa College. He was by far the best bull rider I'd ever seen. Another neighbor and friend of mine, Gilbert Carrillo, won Worcester. I bucked off my first bull and rode my second one at both events, for 84.5 and 83 points, respectively, so I'm batting 500. Now it's a matter of getting back in the groove. You don't do great every time - that's just part of bull riding. That's what makes it so fun and challenging. This weekend we're in Bossier City, La., and we'll finish out the month in Greensboro, N.C., and Tampa Bay, Fla.

Time's been flying for me. I was only home two days in December. After the NFR Jewel and I spent a couple days with her family, then a couple days in Phoenix with mine for Christmas. I ended up spending New Year's Eve home alone on the ranch, and after being gone so much it felt good just to be home.

Thanks to all of you who've bought my book ("Roughstock: The Mud, the Blood and the Beer"), and for all your nice comments about it. We gave a portion of the proceeds from sales at the PBR Finals to the Resistol Relief Fund, and did the same for the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund at the NFR, which I thought was a neat deal. I hope you enjoy the book, and thank you for helping make a difference to guys who are hurt and can use a hand. I wish each of you the very best in 2002.

Thanks for your support of all I do.

What’s down the road: Watch for the Ty Murray Invitational presented by Isleta Casino and Resort, coming March 23-24 to Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, N.M.