EIGHT SECONDS TO SCORE

Del Rio’s annual George Paul Memorial Bull Riding event, a rodeo competition held in honor of the bull riding champion George Paul, capitalizes on the national enthusiasm for watching cowboys trying to stay on a bucking bull just long enough to win some money and a big belt buckle. Any Texan familiar with rodeo knows that the bull riding event is probably the most exciting moment in rodeo history and the George Paul Memorial offers plenty of action. With names like Bubba, Cody, and Tuff, bull riders are a favorite among rodeo crowds for their skills, utilized to remain on the back of the bucking bull as much as to land with dignity (and no broken bones) once bucked off and airborne. But the bulls are the real bad boys of the rodeo arena, mammoth animals with names like Iron Horse, Ragin JT, Shoot Out the Lights, and American Fire, all seeming to love putting on a show for the crowds as much as throwing off a rider. Attendees at the George Paul Memorial also enjoy the daring antics of the local “Bull Fighters”, or “rodeo protection athletes”, rodeo performers charged with distracting the bull once the rider has dismounted (voluntarily or otherwise).

The George Paul Memorial Bull Riding event takes place each spring at the Val Verde County Fairgrounds in Del Rio.