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Healthy Muncy returns to top form
Published 6/13/2009 in Beef Empire Days-Sports
By BRETT MARSHALL
When you've been a world champion rodeo cowboy, you know what it feels like to be on top of the world.
When you've seen your career put in jeopardy by a series of injuries, including two broken bones in one leg that required the insertion of a rod, plus another injury with a broken ankle, you know what it's like to be at the bottom.
Taos Muncy, 21, has been competing for more than 15 years, and he has seen both the highs and lows of his sport.
Thursday night at the Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo, Muncy was back in top form as he took the first night lead in his specialty -- saddle bronc riding -- with a score of 86 points to take a two-point lead on the field. Competition was to continue Friday night and in tonight's final session at 7 p.m. at the Finney County Fairgrounds Arena, as others seek to overtake Muncy.
"That felt awesome," Muncy said minutes after his ride Thursday night on a horse named Raylene, owned and provided by Korkow Productions of Pierre, S.D. "That's a great horse. He had his head between my legs and circled around just right. I'd seen him in bareback before and knew he was a good one. That's part of it, getting a good draw on the horse."
Muncy's latest date with injury occurred in February when he was working with a friend back in his hometown of Corona, N.M., to break in a horse. It was there that the horse pushed him into the chute, and he sustained a broken ankle that sidelined him for six weeks.
"This is the best I've felt in two years," Muncy said of his current physical status. "I can go out there now and just let my experience lead me through. It is a really nice feeling to be able to compete and ride well again."
Muncy said it has been helpful that he enjoyed success when he was younger. He was the youngest world champion saddle bronc rider at age 19 in 2007. He also became the third contestant ever to win both the College National Finals and the NFR in the same year.
"I've fought for everything I've done, and I've been real fortunate," Muncy said of his career to date. "It's a tough sport, and I know that if I'm not healthy I won't be able to compete as well. I've had some bad luck, but I've gotten back to where I feel good about being on the horse again."
After returning to competition in May, Muncy has posted victories at Clovis, N.M., the Flint Hills Rodeo in Strong City just a week ago, and placed third at a rodeo in Santa Maria, Calif.
Muncy arrived in Garden City Thursday about an hour before his ride took place. That came on the heels of a seven-hour road trip from his New Mexico home.
"I just need about 30 minutes to warm up, walk around a little and see everybody and then watch them load the broncs," Muncy said of his pre-ride routine. "I don't like sitting around too much thinking about the ride."
Muncy said Thursday night's ride in cool temperatures was a welcome change from his one other appearance in Garden City.
"It was hotter than heck," Muncy said. "It just makes it easier to be comfortable in the saddle and not worry about anything else."
Muncy and the other first night competitors have to wait until tonight's final round is completed to know whether or not he's finished first again. By then, he will be in Wyoming competing in another weekend rodeo.
"You just go and ride, get in your truck and move on and wait to see how the previous ride turned out," Muncy said. "That's just part of it. I know I gave it my best ride, and I had a great horse. That's all we can ask for."
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