Tuff’s Picks for Saturday’s George Paul 
Last night was a great night of bull riding here in Del Rio. The first round of the George Paul didn’t disappoint – there were some monsters for bulls and we saw some amazing riding from the cowboys. Tonight looks to be good again and there should be even more high-scoring rides for fans to enjoy.
The second guy out tonight is Wes Silcox. He made a great ride last night he’s got an outstanding bull. He’s drawn Cash Daddy that Bonner Bolton won a round on at Hobbs and they won Lubbock with him. Wesley made a perfect ride last night and he’ll use that confidence to put up another big score tonight.
The Australian, Rhys Angland, has a bull called Spook and this is a bull that really should fit him. He bucked off last night but hopefully he uses that to come back and do well tonight.
Cole Echols is the defending champion here at the George Paul. He’s having a great year, he’s leading the Road to Cheyenne Tour standings and he was putting together a great ride last night until his bull stopped right at the end. He took the re-ride and got bucked off but he’ll come back tonight wanting a win. He’s got a bull of Lyndal Hurst’s, Palace Station John Doe, that Jared Long won a round in Vegas on. Cole’s got the chance to be 90 or better tonight.
Chandler Bownds won the round last night and tonight he’s drawn the bull that Wes Silcox had an amazing ride on yesterday, Little Nicky. Chandler had a great ride last night but got bucked off the bounty bull and didn’t win the truck. He’s riding great, though, and Little Nicky should fit him to a tee.
J.W. Harris has a rematch with High Dollar Habit tonight. This bull bucked him off in Fort Worth but J.W. would have won the round if he had stuck with him. J.W. made a great ride last night and I would bet on him to even the score with High Dollar Habit.
We had such a great crowd here last night and we can always count on the fans in Del Rio to show up and bring the excitement. I expect tonight will be packed again and there will be a bunch of fans in Del Rio to see who the 36th Annual George Paul Memorial Champion will be.
Can Sons Of Two George Paul Champions Do What Their Dad’s Did? Friday and Saturday night will be full of fast paced, high energy bull riding action. Saturday night however will have a special meaning for Bonner Bolton and Clayton Foltyn. Both are CBR World Champion bull riders in a field of six world champions for the oldest, continuous bull riding in the world. But grabbing that elusive goal for so many bull riders, becoming a world champion, still leaves one unfilled goal; to become a champion of the George Paul Memorial Bull Riding like their dads’ did.  Lane Foltyn, Clayton’s dad won his George Paul buckle in 1983. Toya Bolton, Bonner’s dad, won his George Paul buckle in 1991.  Two years ago Clayton came within 2 seconds of claiming the George Paul crown. Now, each with numerous trophy buckles in the places of honor in their homes, would have one more to make their collection complete.
The story line does not end with Bonner and Clayton. Past George Paul champions Cooper Kanngiesser, Zenda KS (2008), J.W. Harris, Mullin, TX (2011) and last years’ champion Cole Echols, Elm Grove, LA ,will each want the 36th George Paul buckle in order to have matched pairs. All will have to hustle if they wish to catch Tuff Hedeman, four-time world champion and three-time George Paul champion (1986, 1992, and 1995). Hedeman will monitor all the action from the arena and greet George Paul fans for the sixth year. The 36th edition of the storied George Paul Memorial Bull Riding will be Friday and Saturday nights at the Val Verde Country Fairgrounds starting promptly at 7:00 PM each night. Title sponsor for the 36th George Paul Memorial Bull riding is Ram Country Dodge of Del Rio. Presenting sponsor is Bud Light; with premier sponsors Ramada Inn, Texas Lottery, Tractor Supply, and Chaparral Night Club. Tickets are on sale at Del Rio Feed and Supply, Sam’s Boot Corral and the George Paul Memorial Bull Riding Office located at the Val Verde County Fairgrounds. Office hours are 9 Am to 4PM. Please phone 775-9595. Visa, Master and Discover Card accepted
 Six world champion bull riders on tap for 36th George Paul
They come from Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois, Tennessee, South Dakota, Australia and Brazil. With names Bonner Bolton, J.W. Harris, Wesley Silcox, Luke Kelly, Clayton Foltyn and Josh Barrentine, they all have one thing in common. Each is a world champion bull rider. Rounding out the field includes nationally ranked bull riders who are seeking a world Championship Bull Riding (CBR) bull riding championship title for 2013. Among the select competitors for this years’ bull riding, Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27, are former George Paul winners, Cooper Kanngiesser, Zenda, KS, 2008, J.W. Harris, Mullin, TX, 2011, and last years’ George Paul winner, Cole Echols, Elm Grove, LA.
Credentials abound among the contestants for the two-day event. Already this year, Cole Echols has won $43,000 by winning the Dodge City, KS event. Wesley Silcox, Santaquin, UT just two weeks ago won the South Point CBR event in Las Vegas and pocketed $40,000. Bonner Bolton, Gardendale, TX topped his bulls in Hobbs, NM to win that CBR event. Cooper Davis, Jasper, TX won the Tuff Hedeman Challenge in Fort Worth, TX and Trey Benton III, Rock Island, TX won Lufkin, TX, two top rated stops on the CBR circuit.
Crowd favorite Chandler Bownds, Lubbock, TX will return. The baby faced, tiny bull rider won the hearts of Del Rio, and George Paul fans three years ago when he skipped his high school prom to ride in the famed event. Now riding in his third George Paul, the National Finals qualified bull rider is more determined than ever to win and wear a George Paul Championship buckle.
Veterans Ardie Maier, Timberlake, SD, hip hop artist and top rated bull rider Craig Jackson, Houston, TX return with some new and some veteran faces for this year’s event. New to George Paul fans will be youngster Tanner Learmont, Fort Worth, TX. Tate Harris, Palestine, TX, Aaron Pass, Kaufman, TX, Corey Bailey, Paris, TN, Tyler Adrian, Osceola, MO, Kyle Sherwood, Tulsa, Ok, Robson Aragao and Alex Cordozo of Brazil, Dane Candiotto, Independence, LA, and Rhys Angland, Wagga Wagga, AU.
Two of the events contestants have a chance to win a George Paul crown won by their fathers. Bonner Bolton’s father, Toya Bolton won the 1991 George Paul and Clayton Foltyn’s dad, Lane Foltyn won the 1983 George Paul. Should either Bolton or Foltyn win the event, it would be the first time a father and son each has a George Paul championship buckle.
The event is named for the 1968 RCA world champion bull rider and National Finals winner, George Paul. Paul is the only bull rider to ever ride 79 consecutive bulls in professional competition. Paul was killed in 1970 in a plane crash near Kimmerer, WY at 23 years of age. The Championship Bull Riding (CBR) sanctioned event is the oldest, continuous bull riding in the world now in its’ thirty-sixth year. Bobby and Bonnie Paul are the George Paul Memorial Bull Riding producers.
Title sponsor for the 36th George Paul Memorial Bull riding is Ram Country. Presenting sponsor is Bud Light; with premier sponsors include Ramada Inn, Del Rio Feed and Supply, Texas Lottery, Tractor Supply, Chaparral Club and Sam’s Boot Corral. Tickets are on sale at Del Rio Feed and Supply, Sam’s Boot Corral and the George Paul Memorial Bull Riding Office located at the Val Verde County Fairgrounds. Office hours are 9 Am to 4PM. Please phone 775-9595. Visa, Discover and Master Card accepted.
36th George Paul Memorial offers riders to help charity of choice
Friday night, April 26, 35 bull riders will have a chance to fatten their bank accounts and one rider will have a chance to drive home in a $35,000 Ram Country Bounty Bull Truck. Saturday night however, when the elite 24 best bull riders in the world compete, one of four will have a chance to ride for thousands in prize money and also help the charity of his choice.
Saturday night, April 27, the format will feature 24 of the world’s best bull riders. After the dust has settled, the12 best riders will have a chance for a second bull. When the second round has been completed, only the top four best riders of the second round will earn a chance for the championship round. Before the top four compete however, each will have a chance to name the charity of his choice. If he wins the event, Ram Country of Del Rio and the George Paul will write a check for $5000 to the winner’s favored organization. Nick Khoury and Bobby Paul announced that each of the four championship round riders will pick where the money will go if he wins. Khoury and Paul advised, “It doesn’t matter if it’s a church, health organization that helps the families of injured riders or the cancer society as long as it has a 501 status”. They continued, “It just gives the riders a chance to ride for prize money but, also help someone who is less fortunate along the way”. Khoury and Paul added, “this is money donated by Ram Country of Del Rio and is not taken out of the bull riders prize money. It’s just something added to give an incentive to the riders to help any group they choose.”
The 36th George Paul Memorial Bull Riding, the oldest continuous bull riding in the world will be held April 26 and 27 at 7:00 PM at the Val Verde County Fairgrounds, Del Rio, TX. Named for the 1968 RCA world champion bull rider, George Paul, is the only rider to ride 79 consecutive bulls in professional competition, an unbroken world record. The event features the nation’s top professional bull riders and bulls.
The 36th George Paul Memorial Bull Riding title sponsor is Ram Country of Del Rio Texas, the RAM dealer, Presenting sponsor is Bud Light, other sponsors include Ramada Inn, Del Rio Feed and Supply, Texas Lottery, Tractor Supply and Chaparral Club and is sanctioned by Championship Bull Riding.
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