PRORODEO Sports News - February 21, 2025

COWBOY ATMOSPHERE HAS SNOWBALL EFFECT W hen Murray and his buddies moved to Ste phenville, he didn’t feel like he was establish ing a trend – he just loved the location. “We just thought this was a good area where we could have some land, because we didn't want to live up there in the Metroplex, but yet, we wanted to be some what closer to the airport,” Murray said. “So, you know. I just, I thought this was a good area for that. And Jim did too, and Tom liked it too. Then it just started snowballing. Rodeo type cowboys and cowgirls started coming in, and now it's, it's continuing to explode.” In 1988, Sharp rode his way into the history books by becoming the first bull rider to ride all 10 bulls at the National Finals Rodeo. And Sharp, a two-time PRCA World Champion in 1988 and 1990, has loved living in Stephenville for the last 37 years. “There’s always been a bunch of cowboys around here. Ty and I used to team rope a little bit. And you can find a team roping open to go to every day in Stephenville, Texas. And it just kind of fit. It was our kind of town, you know, it was a small country town, and that's what we were looking for. It's grown a lot since, since Ty and I moved here, but it's worked out really well. I really like living here.” Three-time PRCA World Champion heeler Wesley Thorp – 2019, 2023 and 2024 – echoed Sharp.

“I grew up coming to Stephenville for junior rodeos and starting about when I was 8 or 9 years old, making several trips a month down here for the jackpots and junior rodeos,” Thorp said. “And it just kind of stuck out to me, because it's where a lot of the guys lived. It's a central location. And from a young age, I knew I always wanted to be here, because you got to be around the best guys, to learn to be one of the best guys. I've always kind of had that mindset.

“You got to be around the best guys, to learn to be one of the best guys.” ~ Wesley Thorp

“Through the years, even further into high school, I just really tried to set myself up to move down here, and that was my plan all along, after high school. We've lived here 10 years, and it's definitely home to me. It is such a good location for the jackpot schedule, because there's anywhere from three to five jackpots within 30 to 45 minutes of right here. And a lot of them are in town. We can go, like I said, to a minimum of two and up to five jackpots per week, and it's just super handy to stay sharp, keep your horses working well, and have a shot to win some pretty good money on the side too.”

Three-time PRCA World Champion heeler WESLEY THORP

PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS 11