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King of the Cowboys
Providing an inside glimpse of the world of rodeo, the champion cowboy describes his youth, his determination to become a rodeo star, his rise to success in the sport, the 1998 life-threatening injuries that nearly ended his career, and his struggle to return to the sport he loved.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2003
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May 10, 2017
Ty Murray, the “King of the Cowboys,” who was he? What makes him the king of the cowboys? These are just a few questions that some folks might have before reading Ty Murray’s autobiography The King of the Cowboys. This book takes you from the beginning of rodeo, to his childhood to his college years to his rise in the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association, or PRCA for short. To his fall and through his injuries and surgeries, then his record breaking 7th all-around cowboy title, then ultimately his retirement. But the book isn't all about his success competing in rodeo, it also shines on his involvement in the Professional Bull Riders, PBR, as a co-founder and board member. In fact, Mr. Murray’s story doesn't even start with him.
Ty Murray’s story starts with the beginning of rodeo, where his ancestors were apart of the first ever rodeo tours. The Miller brothers’ 101 ranch was a 110,000 acre ranch. The Millers raised horses, cattle, buffalo, ostriches, camels, elephants, sea turtles, and poultry. Now Ty Murray was not related to the Millers, his ties to the 101 ranch was his great grandfather Walter Schultz, who was a well-known mugger. The mugger is not what you think, they didn't go out and rob old ladies walking down the street, back in the early 1900s there weren't any bucking chutes, so the mugger’s job was to hold the bronc or bull so the cowboy could get on. Unlike his brothers, Guy, Clarence, Troy, Will, Grover, and Floyd, Walter didn't travel to the shows outside of the ranch, instead he met a young Potawatomi Indian girl named Josephine Papan. When she turned fourteen, Josephine and Walter got married and eventually had a little girl named Georgia, Ty Murray's grandmother. She went on to marry Harold Murray, and they had a boy named Butch, Ty’s dad. By this time the 101 Ranch had fallen apart, but Harold Murray still grew up with the same cowboy values as his grandfather and great uncles did.
Ty Murray, just like the rest of his family, rodeoed. His dream growing up, break his hero’s, Larry Mahan, record for most All-Around Cowboy Champion record of 6. Ty Murray didn't want to just do it how most cowboys did though, which is usually roping events and bulldogging (steer wrestling), he wanted to do it the same way Larry Mahan did, in the three roughstock events. The three rough stock events are bull riding, saddle bronc, and bareback bronc. The goal of all three of these are to on the back of the bucking animal for 8 seconds, then judges will give the animal a score out of 50 points, and you a score out of 50 points, those scores are then added together for the cowboy’s score, whichever cowboy has the highest score wins and gets the check. Ty Murray started only on bareback colts and calves in his younger years, it wasn't till he was about 13 that he got into saddle broncs. His family would work during the week, than would travel all over the country for a rodeo. Ty always brought home a check after winning rodeo after rodeo. Eventually his success caught wind and reached the ears of Larry Mahan, and Ty spent the summer in between his freshman and sophomore year of high school at Larry’s ranch learning how to ride saddle bronc and working. By the end of Ty Murray's high school years, his dad had said he had won 181 saddles. Which was enough for Ty to receive all sorts of scholarship offers.
Ty Murray attended a college in Odessa, Texas, the same college that had just graduated a great bull rider and future friend of Ty’s, Jim Sharp. Not only did Murray go to college, he entered the PRCA. In college Ty competed in all three roughstock events and bulldogging. In the PRCA, he only competed in the roughstock events. In both college and the PRCA, he consistently won all-around titles. Now college was smooth sailing, but the professional levels were different. First you had to be 18, then you could purchase your permit. Now the the system in place was card holders got a spot before permit holders, and the better you were, the easier it was to get a slot. Now how do you get a card? Well at that time you had to win $2,500. Ty did this I'm just two rodeos! That's impressive, he always went to his college meets, but when he could he would go to PRCA events with his traveling partner, bull and bronc rider, Cody Lambert. Cody did all the scheduling while Ty just slept in. While Ty won rookie of the year that year, he had failed to reach the NFR, National Finals Rodeo, and win a college championship.
Ty Murray was always in good company when it came to rodeo, he traveled with Cody Lambert, Tuff Hedeman, Jim Sharp, and the famous bull rider Lane Frost. In his second year, it was easier to get in rodeos, first off he had his card the whole year, secondly he was the rookie of the year, so he got in before some 10 year veterans. He also stayed in college, where he had eventually won a college championship. This might be why the all-around standings were close. Ty led most of the time, but not always, he had managed to stay healthy, which is why most roughstock riders didn't win all-around titles. Which is impressive and difficult. He and Cody always traveled together, and occasionally traveled with Jim, Lane, and Tuff. Ty Murray was competing against his uncle, Butch, for the All-Around championship. In the end, Ty won and went on to win 5 more after that. Everything seemed to be looking up for Mr. Murray, but that was all about to change.
Ty Murray was on the top of the world, he had won 6 straight All-Around buckles, buckles are a cowboys version of a trophy, and was easily the richest cowboy on the rodeo circuit. Nothing could seem to stop him. He had already made it through the first half of his illustrious career injury free, as far as roughstock goes. But eventually that changed. Through 4 years Ty had battled 2 shoulder injuries, a completely torn ACL, and partially torn PCL, injuries most professional athletes can't come back from. Ty’s sponsors definitely agreed with those statistics, he lost many sponsors, but Bud Light realized how tough cowboys are, and Ty looked to reward that, he trained with one crazy guy in Texas, came back and won his 7th All-Around title.
This book was no doubt a great book that highlighted the toughness and dedication of these cowboys. Ty was most certainly one of the toughest and most dedicated cowboy around, I would recommend this book to not only people interested in rodeo, but anyone who is going through an injury or major surgery and questions if they will ever be able to do the things they did before and can still be effective. Read this book, you won't regret it.
Ty Murray’s story starts with the beginning of rodeo, where his ancestors were apart of the first ever rodeo tours. The Miller brothers’ 101 ranch was a 110,000 acre ranch. The Millers raised horses, cattle, buffalo, ostriches, camels, elephants, sea turtles, and poultry. Now Ty Murray was not related to the Millers, his ties to the 101 ranch was his great grandfather Walter Schultz, who was a well-known mugger. The mugger is not what you think, they didn't go out and rob old ladies walking down the street, back in the early 1900s there weren't any bucking chutes, so the mugger’s job was to hold the bronc or bull so the cowboy could get on. Unlike his brothers, Guy, Clarence, Troy, Will, Grover, and Floyd, Walter didn't travel to the shows outside of the ranch, instead he met a young Potawatomi Indian girl named Josephine Papan. When she turned fourteen, Josephine and Walter got married and eventually had a little girl named Georgia, Ty Murray's grandmother. She went on to marry Harold Murray, and they had a boy named Butch, Ty’s dad. By this time the 101 Ranch had fallen apart, but Harold Murray still grew up with the same cowboy values as his grandfather and great uncles did.
Ty Murray, just like the rest of his family, rodeoed. His dream growing up, break his hero’s, Larry Mahan, record for most All-Around Cowboy Champion record of 6. Ty Murray didn't want to just do it how most cowboys did though, which is usually roping events and bulldogging (steer wrestling), he wanted to do it the same way Larry Mahan did, in the three roughstock events. The three rough stock events are bull riding, saddle bronc, and bareback bronc. The goal of all three of these are to on the back of the bucking animal for 8 seconds, then judges will give the animal a score out of 50 points, and you a score out of 50 points, those scores are then added together for the cowboy’s score, whichever cowboy has the highest score wins and gets the check. Ty Murray started only on bareback colts and calves in his younger years, it wasn't till he was about 13 that he got into saddle broncs. His family would work during the week, than would travel all over the country for a rodeo. Ty always brought home a check after winning rodeo after rodeo. Eventually his success caught wind and reached the ears of Larry Mahan, and Ty spent the summer in between his freshman and sophomore year of high school at Larry’s ranch learning how to ride saddle bronc and working. By the end of Ty Murray's high school years, his dad had said he had won 181 saddles. Which was enough for Ty to receive all sorts of scholarship offers.
Ty Murray attended a college in Odessa, Texas, the same college that had just graduated a great bull rider and future friend of Ty’s, Jim Sharp. Not only did Murray go to college, he entered the PRCA. In college Ty competed in all three roughstock events and bulldogging. In the PRCA, he only competed in the roughstock events. In both college and the PRCA, he consistently won all-around titles. Now college was smooth sailing, but the professional levels were different. First you had to be 18, then you could purchase your permit. Now the the system in place was card holders got a spot before permit holders, and the better you were, the easier it was to get a slot. Now how do you get a card? Well at that time you had to win $2,500. Ty did this I'm just two rodeos! That's impressive, he always went to his college meets, but when he could he would go to PRCA events with his traveling partner, bull and bronc rider, Cody Lambert. Cody did all the scheduling while Ty just slept in. While Ty won rookie of the year that year, he had failed to reach the NFR, National Finals Rodeo, and win a college championship.
Ty Murray was always in good company when it came to rodeo, he traveled with Cody Lambert, Tuff Hedeman, Jim Sharp, and the famous bull rider Lane Frost. In his second year, it was easier to get in rodeos, first off he had his card the whole year, secondly he was the rookie of the year, so he got in before some 10 year veterans. He also stayed in college, where he had eventually won a college championship. This might be why the all-around standings were close. Ty led most of the time, but not always, he had managed to stay healthy, which is why most roughstock riders didn't win all-around titles. Which is impressive and difficult. He and Cody always traveled together, and occasionally traveled with Jim, Lane, and Tuff. Ty Murray was competing against his uncle, Butch, for the All-Around championship. In the end, Ty won and went on to win 5 more after that. Everything seemed to be looking up for Mr. Murray, but that was all about to change.
Ty Murray was on the top of the world, he had won 6 straight All-Around buckles, buckles are a cowboys version of a trophy, and was easily the richest cowboy on the rodeo circuit. Nothing could seem to stop him. He had already made it through the first half of his illustrious career injury free, as far as roughstock goes. But eventually that changed. Through 4 years Ty had battled 2 shoulder injuries, a completely torn ACL, and partially torn PCL, injuries most professional athletes can't come back from. Ty’s sponsors definitely agreed with those statistics, he lost many sponsors, but Bud Light realized how tough cowboys are, and Ty looked to reward that, he trained with one crazy guy in Texas, came back and won his 7th All-Around title.
This book was no doubt a great book that highlighted the toughness and dedication of these cowboys. Ty was most certainly one of the toughest and most dedicated cowboy around, I would recommend this book to not only people interested in rodeo, but anyone who is going through an injury or major surgery and questions if they will ever be able to do the things they did before and can still be effective. Read this book, you won't regret it.
June 22, 2017
This autobiography of Ty's rodeo career from beginning to end was a fun read. I didn't know he is part Potowattamie from Oklahoma. It may explain why he invites Native bull riders to his Invitational PBR Event every year in Albuquerque. Of course, it was interesting reading about how his riding abilities progressed from a young child, into the amateurs and college rodeo, and eventually to the professional level. If you've ever wondered what it takes to ride in pro rodeo, this is a great book to understand it all.
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February 5, 2021I highly recommend this book for all the rodeo fans out there. If it wasn't for Ty, Cody, and Tuff the joy for bull riding wouldn't be what it is today. Ty is such a great role model for a lot of young kids not just because he has won 7 world titles, but because he showed the passion he had for the sport. Even though he was hurt he did everything he could to get ready for the next rodeo season. It also explains his life going up and what he had to do to get to where he is today.
March 29, 2024
Ty is very well spoken throughout the book. Not an ill word said about anyone. Gave good details where needed, but didn't overwhelm the reader with every little bronco and bull detail. It was interesting that Ty wasn't best known for his bull riding, and that his winnings were the all-around rodeo championships.
I knew what was coming when he started going into detail about Lane Frost's last ride. So sad! Can't believe that was also the first year he won a championship, 1989.
Also, enjoyed reading about how he helped create the PBR and the differences it has from the NFR.
I knew what was coming when he started going into detail about Lane Frost's last ride. So sad! Can't believe that was also the first year he won a championship, 1989.
Also, enjoyed reading about how he helped create the PBR and the differences it has from the NFR.
January 17, 2019
Was a great read and I enjoyed this book, it had great descriptions and it had life lessons that can be for people who don't rodeo, so it applies to everyone. The only thing that was a bit blurry was how rehab had been and also it only focused on his 7 PRCA in the beginning.
March 3, 2012
Wow! I didn't know this book was out there until a goodreads friend wrote a review on it. This is one of the reasons I love goodreads. I asked for it for Christmas, got it, and expected to spend days reading it because it is nonfiction. I started it yesterday and finished it today. The writing was a bit rough at first, but it didn't take long to find that it gave a "voice" to the book that was all cowboy. It is funny, sad, thrilling, painful, and informative, and for those of us who enjoy an occasional PBR event or rodeo, this book is the next best thing to being backstage with the participants preparing to ride. For most of us, that will never be a possibility which makes this book the best thing. I still have a dream of attending at least one finals in Las Vegas in either rodeo or PBR or, even better, both finals. I had the privilege of seeing Ty Murray ride in the PBR in St. Louis sometime in the 90's, there were Wrangler ads everywhere featuring Ty Murray, and it was an experience I will remember for a long time. I have several times tried riding a mechanical bull and I'm here to tell you the strain on the wrist is incredible. Of course, my riding was not so much for the bull ride as for the sailing through the air and landing on the air-filled cushioning on the floor, so I didn't plan on lasting long, which is a good thing because a mechanical bull is a pale imitation of the real thing and even that is not easy. Still, given those few seconds before I went flying, I could understand why Ty Murray says he loves it. I know I love watching it, so reading about it is something special.
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July 3, 2009I enjoyed reading this bio of Ty Murray. It was a nice quick read. The writing is enjoyable. It is told from Ty's viewpoint and language, yet, one also has the benefit of reading professional writing from a veteran author (coauthor Steve Eubanks). This is the story of Ty's life mainly during his pro rodeo days. I have only been to two rodeos in my life, so I am no expert, but have interest in the sport. I was still well able to understand and follow Ty's story. Now, if you have no idea at all what Bull Riding is, you may not really want to read this book, unless you have fallen in love with Ty Murray due to his recent Dancing with the Stars appearances. But there is not a bit of dancing mentioned.
I give it three stars.
I give it three stars.
October 3, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Seeing the rodeo through Ty Murray's eyes is getting an insider's view of the men who ride roughstock, particularly the bulls. Because Ty can laugh at himself as he relates his first experiences setting up his own travel arrangements and his rehabilitation after repeated injuries as well as other incidents from his career, I laughed along with him. Even if you've never been to a rodeo, this book is worth reading.
August 19, 2011
Ty Murray is just one of those guys you have to admire. He's funny. You're probably not going to find a harder worker. And he carries himself with integrity. All of that comes through in this book. It just so happens he's a good writer, too. I am actually pretty sad to have finished the book, because there are no more of Ty's stories in store for me.
July 14, 2013
It was fun to read a book about a person and lifestyle I didn't know much about. I knew who Ty Murray was, and have always had a curiosity about rodeo. One day I saw my grandpa reading this book and asked if I could have it when he was done. I'm really glad I did.
January 2, 2017
A look into the life of one of the most successful cowboys! He rode in booth NFR & PBR and helped bring The Sport Of Bull Riding into an event all its own.
This boys is about his life plain and simple!
I've read this book. Loved it! Will re-read it!
This boys is about his life plain and simple!
I've read this book. Loved it! Will re-read it!
August 28, 2008
Not really my kind of book usually but this was actually a good book!
August 27, 2010
From the front flap:"The most famous rodeo champion of all time tells his amazing true story--and opens a fascinating window into the world of the professional cowboy."
August 11, 2012
NONFICTION AUTOBIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR. Great for guys. Shows what you can achieve when you have self-discipline. Murray's honesty and determination come through in the book. Approximately 272 pages.
April 14, 2015
all- around championships, rodeo
February 18, 2016
As a rodeo fan in general, and a bull-riding fan in particular, I was engrossed in this book from beginning to end. Ty Murray is an exceptional cowboy, of that there is no doubt.
March 7, 2018
This book is based on a ruff stock rider named Ty Murray. he was born to ride knowing that his first words where I am a bull rider. This reminded me of some of the pro football players that had trained their whole life to play. Or when I trained to rodeo every day in the summer and spring. When we went to the PBR in Mandan north Dakota I met Ty Murray.
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October 4, 2018it was a really good book it talked about all his rides and how he never got to nervous and when he got a hard bull he never did anything unusual he always did the same old things he did talked about how he felt on each bull he could have felt more confident on some and less on other but either way its the pbr and i wouldn't care as long as i got to ride in the pbr.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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