Toughest Cowboy
Toughest Cowboy presented by Jagermeister
News Release
Contact: Ann Bleiker – 719-226-2009 (office)
February 25, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Broussard picks up big win in the Twin Cities, Murphy remains atop the standings for Jäger Ranch
ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Xcel Energy Center in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul was the featured venue for the seventh stop on the 2008 World's Toughest Rodeo Tour featuring Toughest Cowboy presented by Jagermeister. Eight cowboys took center stage in front of the near capacity crowd competing in the revolutionary, ironmen of rodeo competition where cowboys ride in the three roughstock events in one night in a new match style competition. Each competitor was jockeying for position and their respective seeding heading into the Playoffs next week in Nashville, Tenn.
Dodge sponsored cowboy Trey Broussard needed a big win in St. Paul to keep his hopes alive for a shot at Jager Ranch. Broussard of Estherwood, La., was matched against Jared Green of Socorro, N.M. Both cowboys were coming off disappointing performances in tournament six, so it was really anyone’s game. Broussard jumped out to an early lead with a win in the bareback riding after posting a score of 82 points, his highest score of the season. Broussard continued his winning ways in the saddle bronc riding with another impressive 84-point ride, while Green continued to struggle in St. Paul falling well short of the 84 mark posted by the Louisiana cowboy.
Broussard definitely had the momentum going into the final event of bull riding and he easily captured the win with an event high 86-point ride. With the win, Broussard swept the match and tallied 252 total points outdistancing the rest of the field.
"I drew really well tonight and I took advantage of that," Broussard said. "The last couple tournaments were less than stellar and I knew I was better than that and I needed to redeem myself. It was huge to get a big win like this heading into the Playoffs and I hope I can keep it rolling."
The 2007 Toughest Cowboy Champion Bandy Murphy of Weatherford, Okla., has been the cowboy to beat all season and although he won his match against Erik Wolford he fell short of Broussard’s performance. Murphy, who is sponsored by The Home Depot, edged Wolford, of Clinton, Mich., by three points in the bareback riding after scoring an event high 83 points. However, it was Wolford who picked up the "W" in the saddle bronc riding after posting an event high 86 points compared to Murphy’s 79.
Tied 1-1 heading into the final event of bull riding it was looking like the champ might suffer his first loss of the season. Instead, Murphy proved why he is the champion defeating Wolford by 41 points and finishing the tournament in second place.
The big story of the night was the return of Chad Eubank of Cleburne, Texas. After being eliminated from the competition after tournament four in Greensboro, N.C., the Super Clean cowboy got back on the Tour after B.J. Schumacher of Hillsboro, Wis., was injured in tournament six. Eubank didn’t draw an easy competitor in Shane Proctor of Powell, Wyo., for his return but that didn’t deter the veteran.
Eubank got the first "W" after edging the Red Creek Land cowboy by one point in the bareback riding. Eubank spurred his horse for 81 points and entered the saddle bronc riding with a little momentum. However, Proctor answered and outscored Eubank by 30 points to get the win in the saddle bronc riding event. The match was tied 1-1 heading into the bull riding event, which happens to be both of these cowboys signature event, so it was setting up to be a showdown. Proctor road first and despite a less than stellar ride the judges awarded him with a 72-point ride. Fortunately for Proctor, Eubank didn’t ride to his full potential either and finished with a 63 giving Proctor another win and the overall match title. In fact, Proctor finished behind Broussard and Murphy in the overall standings for tournament seven and remained in second place in the overall series standings behind Murphy.
Toughest Cowboy presented by Jagermeister is revolutionizing the sport by introducing an exciting and innovative format to audiences across the United States. Unlike other rodeos where riders usually compete in just one discipline, Toughest Cowboy is an unprecedented test of endurance as all competitors must ride in three disciplines in one night (Bareback Riding, Saddle Bronc Riding and Bull Riding). The events feature head-to-head matches throughout the season leading to the playoffs and championship…ultimately crowning someone the Toughest Cowboy Champion.
Jagermeister, the country’s best selling shot brand and top selling imported liqueur, is the first presenting sponsor of the Toughest Cowboy rodeo competition and tour in 2008. The Champion at the end of the season will be awarded the deed to the beautiful Jäger Ranch located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
The "Road to Columbus" continues with the playoffs at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn. For more information on this one-of-a-kind event visit www.toughestcowboy.com.
Tournament 7 Results
St. Paul, Minn.
Match 1
Erik Wolford, Clinton, Mich. vs. Bandy Murphy, Weatherford, Okla. – 1 win to 3 wins; 198 points to 235 points; Wolford (18), Murphy (23)
Match 2
Shane Proctor, Powell, Wyo. vs. Chad Eubank, Cleburne, Texas – 3 wins to 1 win; 229 points to 188 points; Proctor (21), Eubank (5)
Match 3
Clovis Crane, Lebanon, Pa. vs. Nelson Tsosie, Farmington, N.M. – 3 wins to 1 win; 169 points to 162 points; Crane (12), Tsosie (15)
Match 4
Trey Broussard, Estherwood, La. vs. Jared Green, Socorro, N.M. – 4 wins to 0 wins; 252 pointst o 129 points; Broussard (13), Green (10)
St. Paul (tournament 7) winner: Trey Broussard
Jager Ranch leader: Bandy Murphy
Overall standings from St. Paul (tournament 7):
1. Trey Broussard, 4 wins, 252 total points
2. Bandy Murphy, 3 wins, 235 points
3. Shane Proctor, 3 wins, 229 points
4. Clovis Crane, 3 wins, 169 points
5. Erik Wolford, 1 win, 198 points
6. Chad Eubank, 1 win, 188 points
7. Nelson Tsosie, 1 win, 162 points
8. Jared Green, 0 wins, 129 points
Overall standings after St. Paul - tournament 7 (standings based on wins and then total points):
1. Bandy Murphy, 23 wins, 1654 total points
2. Shane Proctor, 21 wins, 1557 points
3. Erik Wolford, 18 wins, 1466 total points
4. Nelson Tsosie, 15 wins, 1263 total points
5. Trey Broussard, 13 wins, 1357 total points
6. Clovis Crane, 11 wins, 1304 total points
7. Jared Green, 10 wins, 1085 total points
8. Chad Eubank, 5 wins, 892 points
About Grit Rock Rodeo
Grit Rock Rodeo is one of the largest producers of live and televised rodeo events in the world. Grit Rock Rodeo owns the World’s Toughest Rodeo, a national touring rodeo that consists of World’s Toughest Bulls and Broncs and Toughest Cowboy. Toughest Cowboy, a revolution in the sport which featured 8 cowboys riding 3 times in a performance, was carried in 2007 on Fox Sports Net nationally on Sunday nights. Grit Rock Rodeo also owns the license rights to the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour, which is the premier Tour of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The 2007 Wrangler ProRodeo Tour and the Ariat Playoffs of the Tour aired nationally on Fox Sports Net and CBS Sports.
www.toughestcowboy.com
www.prorodeotour.com
www.bullsandbroncs.com
About AEG
AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, Toyota Sports Center, Toyota Park, NOKIA Theatre Times Square, NOKIA Theatre at Grand Prairie, Hollywood’s El Rey Theatre, Seattle’s WaMu Theatre, Minneapolis’ Target Center and the just opened The O2, a 28-acre development located in the eastern part of London along the Thames River which includes a 20,000 seat arena and over 650,000sf of leisure and entertainment use; sports franchises throughout the world including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), Los Angeles Riptide (MLL) and three MLS franchises in addition to overseeing privately held management shares of the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA). AEG developed and operates The Home Depot Center, a $150 million national training facility on the Campus of California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, California designated as an “Official U.S. Olympic Training Site” by the United States Olympic Committee that includes major facilities for soccer, tennis, track & field, cycling, lacrosse, rugby, action sports, beach volleyball, basketball and other sports.
The company's live entertainment division, AEG LIVE is one of the world's leading concert promotion and touring organizations that has recently promoted national tours on behalf of artists such as Prince, Bon Jovi, Kenney Chesney and Cheetah Girls as well as producing "A New Day…" starring Celine Dion appearing exclusively at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace and the international museum tour of King Tut's artifacts.
AEG is overseeing the development of L.A. LIVE, a 4 million square foot / $2.5 billion downtown Los Angeles sports, residential & entertainment district featuring NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE, a 7,100-seat state-of-the-art live theatre, a 54-story, 1001-room convention center "headquarters" hotel, Club NOKIA at L.A. LIVE, a 2,200 capacity live music venue, a 14-screen Regal Cineplex, "broadcast" facilities for ESPN, along with entertainment, restaurant, residential and office space and additional arenas, O2 World, on a 45-acre site in the heart of Berlin, Citizen’s Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri and in Las Vegas, Nevada.
www.aegworldwide.com
www.toughestcowboy.com
