Popular TV sports personality returning for George Paul
by John Ludlam
Imagine opening the back of a fine Swiss watch and looking at all the moving parts. It boggles the imagination how all those multiple parts work together and continuously provide accurate time, consistently. When watching a Jeff Medders produced bull riding telecast, the multiple employees of Medder’s Geronimo Productions of Tulsa, OK, makes those telecasts like the workings of a fine made watch. To get to that point, it has taken Medders and his crew thousands of hours of watching, describing, analyzing and becoming predictors of bull’s bucking patterns and cowboy’s reactions to what a bull does. How did he get there requires a journey back in time. Medders had always had an interest in TV and movie production. The years 1981-85 were occupied with earning a degree in Radio/TV at Oklahoma State University.
 Working for six years at a variety of assignments in his chosen field upon college graduation lead to the television production of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo starting in 1991 for ESPN. The past 15 years Jeff and Butch Knowles have been the on air personalities of the WNFR. In addition, Medders also does the TV telecast production of the WNFR. Doing the play by play of the WNFR is only part of the resume for Jeff who has also done play by play for professional golf, motorcycle racing, thoroughbred horse racing and professional poker.
Recently Medders said, “My passion is producing on air bull riding events. I really have chosen to concentrate on bull riding and continuing to keep the cowboy image alive for future generations and television is the way to reach millions of fans. Being around bull riders and professional rodeo cowboys is something I enjoy every day. I was ranch raised but never had the strong connection to the sport that I have gained through my work as a TV producer and on air play by play. Oh! I also started raising bucking bulls and it has given me appreciation for what bull stock contractors go through on a daily basis. No one works harder or takes care of animals better than stock contractors. That’s their livelihood and they make sure their animals get the best feed, medical care and living conditions possible.”
Jeff is now the Executive Producer for all Championship Bull Riding (CBR) telecasts and between the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Assn and CBR telecasts, time at home is at a premium. Contacted for this article while in Las Vegas preparing for a telecast, Medders is first to recognize that he could never do what he does without an outstanding crew. Medders advised, “I simply have the most qualified staff and they make everything flow. My camera crew members have been all over the world, covered multiple sporting events including the Olympics, CBR telecasts, WNFR and even motion pictures. These guys are amazing and get shots I dream about.” Leading the crew as Medders does on air responsibilities is Brandon Jones, his producer and production coordinator. “Brandon is constantly directing the camera crew by headset from chute to chute, arena action, interviews and making sure that any ride a fan may have missed is on the big replay screen. He doesn’t miss a thing and is my right hand.”
Ask if there is anything he doesn’t like about his job he chuckles, “Yeah, the same thing everybody hates. Budget, management duties, employee issues but, this is the road I have chosen and I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t have the same headaches. It just comes with the territory. If I could do just the creative part 24/7 that would be a dream come true. But I’m not complaining. I have the greatest privilege in the world to work with a great crew and the best athletes in the world. What’s not to like?”
While on the road Medders wife Diana manages the home fires and the couple’s four children. “When Diana and I started dating,” he said, “she knew what I did and that I traveled for a living so she just accepted that. I think sometimes she thinks I’ve been home too long and is ready to kick me out the door, he laughed.”
Returning for his fifth year to this year’s 35th George Paul Memorial Bull Riding Medders offered the following. “What an honor to do this great bull riding, the home of stand alone bull riding. It is outdoors in the same place it started 35 years ago, same arena, probably the same bucking chutes, same grandstands plus what Bobby Paul has built and many of the original fans. The original fans bring their children and grandchildren. This event has managed to keep the original flavor and (it) honors a bull riding icon, George Paul. I am honored to be a part of this event and this is the one event where the crew has a couple of days to spend together. The crew is family to me and I appreciate how Bobby Paul and the Del Rio fans have made us a part of their family. I look forward to seeing the good friends I have made in Del Rio over the past five years.”
General Admission Tickets are on sale at Sam’s Boot Corral, Del Rio Feed and Supply, and Del Tex RV Center. Tickets for Reserved Seating are on sale at the George Paul Memorial Bull Riding office at the Val Verde County Fairgrounds. Please phone 775-9595 for ticket information. Master Card, Visa and Discover accepted at the bull riding office. The event will be held April 28 at 7:00pm and April 28 at 3:00 pm.
The 35th Annual George Paul Memorial Bull Riding is sponsored by Ram Country Dodge, Silver Eagle Distributors, Ramada Inn, Del Rio Feed & Supply, and Tractor Supply .
George Paul Memorial Bull Riding Celebrates 35 Years! (from CBRbull.com)  Bobby Paul, producer of the George Paul Memorial Bull riding, now in it's 35th year, announced today that "there will be a big surprise for the rider Saturday night who gets a shot at the Ram Country Bounty Bull. Paul advised that details will be forthcoming in two weeks but, if a guy rides the Ram Country Bounty Bull, he will be very happy and glad he came to Del Rio." The event, named in honor of the only bull rider to ever ride 79 consecutive bulls in competition, George Paul, and the 1968 RCA World Champion Bull Rider and NFR winner was started by the Paul family as a way to honor the storied bull rider killed in a plane crash in 1970. Bobby Paul continued, "I think it's real interesting that we have the oldest continuous bull riding in the world and our friend, Tuff Hedeman, has the oldest continuous indoor bull riding in the world. CBR, Tuff and the George Paul are a natural fit and I look forward to his event as much as ours. I know that I will be in Fort Worth April 7, at Tuff's Bull Riding Challenge and he'll be in Del Rio April 28-29 at ours. I guess our event is kind of a favorite of his since he won it three times." Ram Country Dodge and Silver Eagle Distributors are the major sponsors for the George Paul Memorial Bull Riding. For ticket information for the 35th George Paul Memorial Bull Riding please call 830-775-9595 or go on line to georgepaulmemorialbullriding.com. Visa, Discover and Master Card accepted.
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