Our very own Jeff Medders is officially a member of the Rodeo Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
“I knew I’d barely get a word out,” Medders said of his speech. “Just one of those things where you get so caught up in emotion.”
Over the weekend, he was honored with the Director’s Choice Award, which is not given annually, only in exceptional circumstances. Medders was nominated by Dave Appleton, an 11-time NFR qualifier in bareback riding and saddle bronc riding.
Medders was joined by his entire family as well as several members from The Cowboy Channel team.
“To be honest with you, no one is happier about this than my dad,” he said. “For us to be from Oklahoma and him to be a lifelong cowboy, he’s been beside himself and so excited. It was a huge night for me, but maybe even a bigger night for him.”
Medders will be calling his 31st NFR in 2022 and his partner through it all has been Butch Knowles.
“He’s carried me a long ways, it’s so comfortable, when I sit down and do a television show with Butch it’s just like this is the way it always supposed to be,” he said. “I kid him that he’s my work wife...Nobody I’ve enjoyed more in the last 30 years than sitting next to him.”