PRESTIGIOUS WIN Murphy Made Headlines in Salinas By Joe Kusek W hen Josey Murphy pulls her truck and trailer into the family driveway at the end of September, a reminder of her summer will be waiting. The four-legged addition to the family represents more than just the biggest WPRA breakaway roping win of her young career, it is part of a career-defining event.
Murphy, an uber-friendly Panola College (Carthage, Texas) student, won the breakaway roping at California Rodeo Salinas, July 20-23 at the Salinas Sports Complex. Competing a long way from home – it is 1,846 miles from Keachi, Louisiana to Salinas – Murphy threw three loops in 13.3 seconds to win the title against a star-studded field. The 21-year-old earned $7,737 to put her within striking distance of the top 15 to qualify for the National Finals Breakaway Roping in Las Vegas and keep her on the road. “I left home May 24 and have not been home since,” she said in mid- August. Murphy planned to return home Sept. 22. Through the third week of August, she had competed in 94 rodeos, the most of any of the 495 cowgirls who cashed a check in 2023. “When I left home my truck had 37,000 miles on it. Now it has 57,600 (as of Aug. 24),” Murphy said. The 2020 National High School champion opened Salinas with back- to-back 4.6-seconds runs to qualify for the finals. “I let my calves get out before I left the corner,” Murphy said. “Even if I was late, I knew my horse could make up the time. If I was a little late, that was OK.” Danielle Lowman, of Gilbert, Arizona and Aspen Miller, of Santa Fe, Texas split the first round with times of 3.9 seconds. Taylor Munsell, of Alva, Oklahoma won the second round in 3.9. Murphy was the fourth to last roper out in the Final round. “I have been working with a mental coach and discussed it with her. I was starting to get nervous,” she said about the finals that featured three ropers in the top five of the world standings, including two-time Salinas winner Shelby Boisjoli, of Stephenville, Texas.
“She told me, ‘The first two rounds you did what’s best for you. Don’t make it a job. You’re out here living your dream.’ That took the pressure off. When I backed in the box, it was OK.” Murphy delivered a clutch throw of 4.1 seconds to win the final round and edged Munsell by one-tenth of a second in the average. “It was stressful watching the last ropers. I knew I could be anywhere from first to third,” she said. It was also fulfilling. “I struggled in the past believing I belonged here,” Murphy continued. “When I was getting the awards and being interviewed it was, ‘I do belong.’ ” And she had a confession. “It’s kind of funny and very embarrassing,” she said. “I didn’t realize how prestigious a rodeo Salinas was. I had people like (world champion bullfighter) Rob Smets say, ‘Do you know what you’ve won?’ People were telling me it was a huge win. That’s something I should have known. Now I know what an accomplishment it is. What a super cool rodeo buckle.” Murphy’s victory came aboard her horse Checks, or Chex as her father Casey calls the seven-year-old sorrel. “I like Checks as in money,” said Murphy of the horse registered as Pepto Moneys Pop. “She’s tiny, very little. And she’s mean. Checks is very good at her job but she’s grumpy all the time. She has little girl syndrome. Maybe that’s why she is so gritty and tough. “At Salinas, she ran down those calves so fast. I was able to make sure the calves were out. That horse can fly.” Checks and the finals calf will meet again. Murphy’s father purchased the calf following Salinas. But don’t expect a happy reunion between the two animals. “Dad said the calf was pretty feisty and ran him, up the fence at home,” said Murphy. “I thought that was so funny. We’ll just let the calf be in the pasture and become a momma cow.” Josey Murphy threw three loops at the California Rodeo in Salinas in a total time of 13.3 seconds to win the title against a star-studded field. Murphy had never been to Salinas and even admits she didn’t realize how prestigious the title and buckle were until she won. Photo by Fernando Sam-Sin
Josey Murphy, who is a Panola College student, took advantage of the summer rodeos to put her in striking distance of a first-time NFBR qualification. The Keachi, Louisiana cowgirl’s biggest check came in Salinas, California, winning $7,737. Photo by Fernando Sam-Sin
22 WPRA NEWS SEPTEMBER 2023
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