Ty Murray

Ty Murray
Murray at the premiere for Earth in April 2009
Born	(1969-10-11) October 11, 1969 (age 47) Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Spouse(s)	Jewel (m. August 7, 2008; d. July 2, 2014)

Ty Monroe Murray (born October 11, 1969) is an American nine-time World Champion rodeo cowboy and co-founder and board adviser of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). He also provides color commentary during the PBR's Built Ford Tough Series events on CBS Sports Network.

Murray was born in Phoenix, Arizona to Joy and Butch Murray. He has two sisters, Kim and Kerri. Murray's father, who is of Irish descent, is a former rodeo hand who owned a business in which he operated starter equipment at horse racing venues all over the United States. Ty Murray's mother was a young rider in the National Little Britches Rodeo Association and won first place in the national Little Britches Rodeo Bull Riding competition. As a child Murray was taught rodeo fundamentals by his father and mother. Later he was mentored by then world champion bull rider and all-around cowboy, Larry Mahan, who had won more National Finals Rodeo (NFR) first place "All Around Cowboy" championships than anyone in history. At the age of 9, Ty Murray was asked by his school teacher to write a paper on what he wanted to be when he grew up. His entire essay was as follows: "I want to break Larry Mahan's record".

Murray competed in the Arizona High School Rodeo Association where he was the All-Around Champion Cowboy and led Arizona to its first National High School Rodeo Association Championship in 1987. He was also the National All-Around Champion that year, competing all the rough-stock events as well as cutting. He went to Odessa College where he competed in rodeo for the school. When he turned 18, he joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). Murray became the youngest PRCA All-Around Rodeo Cowboy, according to the Guinness Book of Records.

Murray won the World All-Around Rodeo Champion title seven times (1989–1994, 1998), being the top money-earner in bareback, saddle bronc, and bull riding events for those years. Additionally, Murray won the PRCA World Bull Riding Championship title in 1993 and 1998.