Murphy Leads SWOSU Men to Pratt Rodeo Title

October 9, 2005

Pratt, KS - Southwestern Oklahoma State got a welcomed boost from the return of senior Bandy Murphy as the men collected a rodeo title at the season’s first event winning the Pratt Community College event in impressive fashion.

The Bulldogs collected 590 points as a team and easily outdistanced second-place Fort Scott (450) and third-place Southeastern Oklahoma (360).

The SWOSU women finished third at the event with 195 points behind Northwestern Oklahoma State’s 255 points and Oklahoma Panhandle State’s 220 points.

Murphy, who set out last season as a redshirt, quickly showed why his return will most likely put SWOSU back in its customary place among the region’s top rodeo teams. The native of Punta Gorda, Fla. scored points in three events: bareback riding, saddle bronc and bull riding.

Murphy swept the bull riding event winning first in the long round, short round and the average. He scored an event-best 80 points on his short-round ride.

In the bareback event, Murphy took home first in the long round, split fifth and sixth in the short round and was tied for second in the average. He then added a second place finish in the saddle bronc after a fourth-place long round effort and a second-place short round.

Teammate Tony Sauter also scored well winning the calf roping event after a strong short round in which he finished second coupled with a seventh-place finish in the long round. Sauter also finished among the top 10 in the steer wrestling competition.

For the SWOSU women, Martha Beagley, Julie Dawson and Jenna Hays all finished among the leaders in the breakaway roping competition. Beagley won the long round with a time of 2.6 seconds and ended up fourth in the average while Dawson’s fourth-place finish in the long round earned her fifth in the average.

Beagley and Dawson, along with Sarah Ellingson made the top 10 in goat tying. Ellingson finished in a tie for third in the average after splitting fifth and sixth in the long round and finishing third in the short round. Dawson finished sixth in the average thanks to her fifth place finish in the short round.

Both SWOSU rodeo teams, under the direction of coach Chad Ramirez, will continue their fall schedule Oct. 14-16 at the Northeastern A&M Rodeo in Miami, Okla.