He won nine world championships in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA); seven in all-around (1989–1994 and 1998) and two in bull riding (1993 and 1998).
[3] His father competed in rodeos, broke colts for 30 years, and was the starter for The Downs in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
[4] Later Murray was mentored by the world champion, who had won more National Finals Rodeo (NFR) first place "All Around Cowboy" championships than anyone in history.
[4] In Murray's first official year on the PRCA, he traveled with rodeo cowboy Cody Lambert, who rode bulls and saddle bronc.
Also, that year, Murray won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association's all-around, saddle bronc, and bull riding titles.
[18] About a month after Murray won his championship, he and Sharp moved out of Odessa into a place in Benbrook, Texas.
He turned the offer down, which just was not done back then, ending the call with an instruction for them to contact his agent next time.
[19] Even 20 years after winning his six titles, Larry Mahan was still getting the standard deal Murray turned down.
[20] One of Murray's goals this season was to improve his bull riding, in order to qualify for the NFR in all 3 roughstock events.
His first event that season was the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado, where he won the all-around title.
The first world finals event was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in October.
[28] One notable out from 1994 saw Murray conquer the 1993 PRCA Bucking Bull of the Finals, Gunslinger, for 93 points in the short go of 1994's Bullnanza Nashville.
[32] In January in Fort Worth, Texas, Murray almost made a qualified ride on 1997 PBR World Champion Bull 315 Panhandle Slim.
[33] This year, Murray competed in only 5 PBR Bud Light Cup events; in the second event of the year in St. Louis, Missouri, Murray landed on his right elbow when getting bucked off of a bull named Bar Fly, which ended up dislocating his shoulder and putting him out of competition for 7 months.
Later in October, Murray drew the bull Hollywood in the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas, but was bucked off.
In March, Murray bucked off 1998 PBR World Champion Bull Moody Blues in Odessa, Texas.
Also in January, Murray made a qualified ride on Smokin' Smurf in Greensboro, North Carolina for 90.50 points.
In March in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Murray had a shot at future Brand of Honor bull Mossy Oak Mudslinger.
[33][34] While recovering from a neck strain sustained in Billings, Murray officially announced his retirement from bull riding.
[43][44] In 2006, Murray was featured in the Miller Lite "Man Laws" series of commercials with movie star Burt Reynolds.
[48] In the summer of that same year, CMT televised Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge.
Murray attempted to teach nine celebrities how to ride a bull, survive a fall, and compete at one major PBR event.
[citation needed] On February 8, 2009, it was announced that both Murray and Jewel would be contestants on the eighth season of Dancing with the Stars, signifying the first time a husband and wife appeared as contestants on the show in the same season; however, Jewel had to withdraw from the competition due to an injury sustained during pre-season practice.
[52][53] In January 2010 Murray and Jewel appeared on the ABC reality series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
She is the daughter of Atz Kilcher, an Alaskan all-around cowboy, so she grew up riding horses and competing in local rodeos.
She grew up in a house with no amenities, no heat, no electricity, and no running water, with an outhouse, so she was right at home in the cabin he had built on his ranch that similarly outfitted.
Likewise, Jewel brought Ty into her music world; they co-wrote the song "Till We Run Out of Road" together one night.
The song is about Murray and his former traveling partner and mentor, Cody Lambert, who is now the livestock director of the PBR.
[60] In December, Paige Duke, an ERA reporter at the time, was attending an after-party for the 2014 NFR when she saw Murray.
[61] Early in 2016, Murray took Duke on a long hike to Hope Lake, Colorado, to an altitude of 12,000 feet above sea level.