Seth Murphy grew up on a ranch about 130 miles from Bismarck.

Even so, the Killdeer cowboy said the Bismarck Civic Center will feel much like home this weekend when he comes to town for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Championship Rodeo.

"I'll have a lot of friends and family there," said Murphy, a calf roper and steer wrestler. "It'll feel like home, I guess. It's always fun having lots of people you know at the arena, cheering you on."

Murphy, who attends Dickinson State University and competes on the rodeo team, had a good weekend the last time he visited the Civic Center. At last year's PRCA championship event, he placed third in calf roping and third in steer wrestling on the first day. On the second day, he captured first place in calf roping and wound up being the all-around champion.

"That was an exciting weekend for me. … It was the first time I competed in a pro or amateur event," Murphy said. "Having a showing like that was definitely a confidence-builder."

Overall, it's been a good year for the 2003 Killdeer High School graduate. He claimed top honors in calf roping and all-around at the North Dakota Rodeo Association Finals, and was the champion calf roper at the Roughrider Association Finals.

He also made good in his professional rodeo debut last October in Brookings, S.D., winning the calf roping crown.

As a college competitor, he was the Great Plains Region all-around champion, and qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo in three events - calf roping, team roping and steer wrestling.

"A lot of good things have happened. … I've been pretty lucky," Murphy said. "Success makes it a little more fun, but either way, I just enjoy the competition."

Murphy hasn't competed since Brookings, so he's anxious to get back in the saddle again.

"It's been a long time. … Hopefully, I can pick up where I left off," Murphy said. "It's pretty slow over the winter months, and college takes up a lot of my time. College rodeo starts up again in March. This weekend will be a good tune-up for that."

Murphy comes from a rodeo family. His father Tom was the Dodge National Circuit Finals steer wrestling champion in 1984. His sister Elizabeth was a national high school champion in goat tying. She too, attends DSU and competes in rodeo.

"My dad was a big influence on us," Murphy said. "I've been around rodeo my whole life, and I got started early. One of the things my dad taught me was it takes a lot of hard work to compete at a high level. I've put in a lot of time, and it's been worth every minute."

Murphy said the Killdeer area will be well represented at the Civic Center this weekend - both in the arena and in the stands.

"There are a lot of rodeo competitors from Killdeer, and I know a lot of them will be (in Bismarck)," he said. "Rodeo has always been big around there. There have always been people who are willing to get the kids started and work with them."

The two-day PRCA event begins tonight at 7:30 p.m.