Top 10 Rides of the Ty Murray Invitational
By: Justin Felisko
March 14, 2016
Gilbert Carrillo’s ride aboard Blueberry Wine was one of six 96-point rides in PBR history.
DULUTH, Ga. – The 20th anniversary of the Ty Murray Invitational is set to take place this coming weekend in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and there will likely be a series of memorable rides if history repeats itself at WisePies Arena, aka The Pit.
Last year, Ben Jones brought the packed house to its feet with a 90.5-point ride on Beaver Creek Beau.
Nine-time World Champion Ty Murray said the possibility for historic rides always exists because of the rank bucking bulls he has PBR Director of Livestock Cody Lambert help organize for the event.
“That bull riding is really one of the powerhouse bull ridings for the bull power,” Murray said. “You don’t skate through Albuquerque. You get on stuff that bucks. It doesn’t happen like that all of the years by accident. Cody has always done a good job and he knows how important for me it is to have the rankest bulls there.”
While The Pit has served as the home of the Ty Murray Invitational since 2008, there have also been some top rides in the event’s history at Tingley Coliseum.
In fact, the three top scores of the Ty Murray Invitational also rank as three of the Top-4 rides in PBR history.
Below are the Top-10 rides in the history of The Ty Murray Invitational
1. Gilbert Carrillo rides Blueberry Wine for 96 points in 2002
Gilbert Carrillo’s ride aboard Blueberry Wine is one of six 96-point rides in PBR history. The ride is second to only the 96.5-point efforts of Bubba Dunn (Promise Land), Chris Shivers (Jim Jam and Dillinger) and Michael Gaffney (Little Yellow Jacket).
Blueberry Wine was ridden by only eight riders in his career and holds the PBR all-time record for most buckoffs on the BFTS (84).
Ironically, Carrillo did not win the 2002 event. Instead, Mike White won the first of three consecutive Albuquerque titles.
2. Justin McBride rides Hollywood for 95.5 points in 2001
Two of Justin McBride’s PBR record 32 BFTS wins came in Albuquerque and his first featured a doozey of a ride aboard Hollywood for 95.5 points to win the 2001 event. Four years later, McBride tied with Jake McIntyre for the 2005 victory.
Three of the Top 10 rides in Albuquerque occurred during the 2001 event.
3. Owen Washburn rides Cripple Creek Promise Land for 95.5 points in 2000
1996 World Champion Owen Washburn won the 2000 Ty Murray Invitational with a 95.5-point ride on Cripple Creek Promise Land. The ride was originally announced as a 95-point ride, but Washburn quickly learned it was indeed 95.5 points.
Washburn would ride Promise Land again three years later in Guthrie, Oklahoma, for 90.5 points.
4. Aaron Semas rides Jesse James for 93.5 points in 2001
Aaron Semas joined McBride with a 93.5-point ride on Jesse James in 2001. Semas is one of two riders to make the 8-second mark on Jesse James at the BFTS level in 37 outs. Gary Richard previously rode Jesse James for 90.5 points earlier that season in Georgia for 90.5 points.
4. Terry Don West rides Hard Copy for 93.5 points in 1999
Terry Don West’s 93.5-point ride on Hard Copy is the only ride in the Top-10 of the Ty Murray Invitational that didn’t occur in the 2000s.
6. Adriano Moraes rides Mossy Oak Mudslinger for 93 points in 2004
Adriano Moraes only faced Mossy Oak Mudslinger twice in his career, but he was a perfect 2-for-2 including his 93-point showing in Albuquerque.
6. Mike White rides Cripple Creek Promise Land for 93 points in 2002
Mike White began his run of three consecutive wins in Albuquerque with this event-winning ride on Promise Land in the championship round. It was one of four 90-point rides during his winning streak.
6. Owen Washburn rides Hard Copy for 93 points in 2000
Owen Washburn posted two of the Top 10 rides in the history of the Ty Murray Invitational in 2000. Not only did he ride Promise Land for 95.5 points, but he also rode Hard Copy for a solid 93 points.
6. Chris Shivers rides Locomotive Breath for 93 points in 2000
Chris Shivers posted 12 90-point rides during his 2000 World Championship season. Shivers rode Locomotive Breath for 93 points in Albuquerque.
10. Zack Brown rides Chicken on a Chain for 92.5 points in 2009
Zack Brown used a 92.5-point ride on Chicken on a Chain to win the Ty Murray Invitational in 2009.
10. Greg Potter rides Kid Rock for 92.5 points in 2005
Greg Potter is tied with Sevi Turtoro as the two riders with the highest scored qualified ride on Kid Rock.
10. Adriano Moraes rides Western Wishes for 92.5 points in 2001
Adriano Moraes won his second of three World Championship in 2001 and on the way he rode Western Wishes for 92.5 points at the Ty Murray Invitational.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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