NEW YORK - The top professional bull riders in the world fed off the sellout crowds at Madison Square Garden last weekend to start the 2012 Built Ford Tough Series.

Collectively, they accounted for 75 qualified rides in 138 outs, with 31 of 40 riders earning at least one score. There were 12 riders who stayed on three or more bulls in New York, including event winner Cody Nance, who was 5-for-5.

The numbers seem startling, coming off a season in which the combined average was barely 40 percent. Few would have predicted it would take a minimum of three scores to make the Built Ford Tough Championship Round in Gotham.

"That's the level of riding we ought to be seeing," said Ty Murray in his weekly podcast. "That is getting very competitive, and if that can continue throughout the whole season, you might have to see some changes in game plans."

'That's the level of riding we ought to be seeing. That is getting very competitive, and if that can continue throughout the whole season, you might have to see some changes in game plans.'

Case in point: Ryan Dirteater.

The Oklahoma native scored 59 points early in Round 4 and declined a re-ride option. He then wound up missing the final round despite having three scores on the leader board.

Dirteater looked to be mirroring the approach of reigning World Champion Silvano Alves. Last year, Alves focused more on accumulating scores than on making spectacular rides. In baseball parlance, he took the base hits over the home runs.

Last season, it worked. He simply rode more bulls than anyone else. In fact, he rode 11 more than any other rider in 2011.

"I've always been the biggest proponent for taking the re-ride," Murray said. "I've said it my whole career, I've said it my whole broadcasting career and I still say it now - when you have a chance to better your standing, you have to take it. You're talking about a competition, and that's what it's called. I guess he thought he was going to play it safe, and it didn't pan out."

Ryan Dirteater covered three bulls in New York, but his combined score wasn't high enough to qualify for the Built Ford Tough Championship Round.

During the event, television broadcasters mentioned that Dirteater didn't like the bull selected for the re-ride option.

But Murray said that as well as Dirteater has been riding since his return from injury, it shouldn't matter what bull the 22-year-old climbs on top of.

"I don't know what that goes back to," Murray said. "I don't know if it's a confidence issue. I don't know what it is.

"The thing in the PBR is the bulls are good. They're going to produce the scores. … It makes no sense to me."

'It wasn't like he just kind of skated by and drew just right. We saw just about everything was thrown at him. ... Cody Nance had an answer for every one of them.'

On the other end of the spectrum, Murray was impressed with event winner Nance.

Not only did he ride all five of his bulls, but the 2009 Rookie of the Year faced everything the bulls could offer - spinning left and right, speed and strength. Murray added that Nance even faced a few bulls with back-up and tricks.

"He looked flawless," Murray said. "It wasn't like he just kind of skated by and drew just right. We saw just about everything was thrown at him. ... Cody Nance had an answer for every one of them, and he couldn't have looked any better. There was no question, when it was over, who should be the (winner) in New York City."

During his podcast, Murray also mentioned the bulls. He was hoping for more out of Back Bender and Bad Blake, but was impressed by King Lopez.

He also mentioned the "newfound love for the game" that Luke Snyder seems to have rediscovered.

"To me, what I walk away from New York City with is that we have a lot of guys who are dedicating themselves to the new season," he said, "and it looks to me like a lot of guys are in line to put their hat in line for the World Championship."