Roping from the fourth high callback position in the short go, Josey Murphy stopped the clock in 4.1 seconds and collected the coveted California Rodeo Salinas Breakaway Championship on Sunday, July 23, 2023.
“This win was unreal,” Murphy, 21, said. “Salinas is one of the most prestigious rodeos there is. Samantha Fulton was high call, and she had a little bit of a lead on us—so to win it is unbelievable.”
Throughout the go rounds, short go and average, Murphy collected a total of $6,937—an amount that will likely catapult her up the WPRA world standings. Not including the recent check, she’s in 30th with $21,986. (Look for updated standings here).
Murphy says her three “great” calves were a large part of her success in California, and she roped them in 4.6, 4.6 and 4.1 seconds, respectively.
Her short go calf? Aspen Miller tied to win Round 1 with him (3.9 seconds) and Taylor Munsell won Round 2 with him (3.9 seconds). Now, Murphy hopes to buy him and take him home to Keachi, Louisiana.
Navigating Salinas
California Rodeo Salinas has a few differences that can trip up a roper, including a longer score and head box setup that sees competitors rope from the left side of the calf. For Murphy, who set the arena record at Cheyenne Frontier Days in 2021 with a 3.36-second run, long setups just feel right.
“I was seeing tail out the end of the gates, and I never said anything to anybody, but I overheard some girls talking about how they were seeing point-of-shoulder, and I knew that wasn’t enough for me,” Murphy explained. “Heading into the short round, my mental coach, Stephanie Braman, told me not to change anything, so I just focused on seeing my start and having fun.”
Murphy packed her rope out of the box holding the saddle horn.
“On setups like Salinas, where you have to be patient and really see the calf out, it’s easy to move too soon,” Murphy said. “Holding my saddle horn helps me be more patient and I know my mare can catch up if I am late.”
Josey Murphy’s Horsepower
If one looked up the definition of “mare stare” in the dictionary, Murphy’s mare, “Checks,” would match the description perfectly. The 7-year-old sorrel has one love in the entire world: running down calves.
“The only time her ears are up is when she’s backed in the corner,” Murphy said. “Then she’ll bob and weave wherever they go. I can tell she craves it. On the ground, she is not very nice. She hates you being around and doesn’t want any attention. But I think that’s why she’s so good—she’s gritty and has so much heart and try. She wants to be roped on and put away.”
The Breakaway Roping Journal is the source for WPRA world standings updates, event coverage, results and profiles on top breakaway ropers and horses.
