NEW YORK CITY – Gene Owen brings a pistol to church in Oklahoma.
The PBR stock contractor wishes life in America at the outset of the second decade of the 21st century had not unraveled to the point of requiring a man to bring a weapon of self-defense into a house of worship.
But Owen is an observant man who soberly assesses reality and reacts to it proportionally.
He has thought about and plans for the unthinkable. But he was nonetheless shocked and horrified by the recent shooting at the West Freeway Church of Christ outside of Fort Worth, Texas.
Following the deranged attack, which killed two worshippers, Owen wanted to recognize Jack Wilson, whose quick actions in firing a single pinpoint shot prevented a senseless tragedy from becoming a mass-casualty bloodbath.
He and his partner Bill Henson decided the best tribute was to name a bull after the brave 71-year-old Texas firearms instructor, gun range owner and former sheriff’s deputy.
They chose one of the 10 bulls Owen hauled to Madison Square Garden in New York for the 2020 Unleash The Beast season opener at Madison Square Garden.
“Jack Wilson is the coolest guy walking right now, and he’s a hero,” Owen said. “He took down an evil man. Within six seconds, that deal was done. He saved lives.”
Today, the term “hero” is too often given out liberally and without distinction, Owen noted.
Jack Wilson, on the other hand, is the real deal. He demonstrates values that need to be promoted and celebrated, even though Owen believes Wilson wouldn’t want the attention.
Naming the bull is a small tribute to a courageous man whose actions saved many, he said.
“He was well trained, knew what he was doing and how to handle his weapon. He took expert action, and nobody else was harmed,” Owen said. “That’s a hero.”
Owen’s actions came on the day PBR announced an innovative partnership with USCCA – the United States Concealed Carry Association, focused on firearms education and training for PBR fans and athletes.
"What Jack Wilson did exemplifies the values we hold dearest at the USCCA," said Tim Schmidt, President and Founder of the USCCA. "Jack took it upon himself to be a prepared protector for his community. He trained hard. He prepared the people around him. When the time came, Jack stepped forward to protect his brothers and sisters at his church. He’s a humble guy, but his dedication saved lives that day. I’m personally proud to see him honored like this by such a great stock contractor and sports organization."
One of the animal athletes Owen hauled up to New York, The Punisher, is an up-and-coming, good-natured bull who enjoys the company of the others on the trailer. He felt like a natural as Jack Wilson’s namesake.
“He was a pretty good classic bull, but a smaller bull,” Owen said. “He has a lot of energy. He’s a little nervous but easy to handle. He likes to be around his buddies. He may run over a bull rider now and then, but that’s part of his job.”
Now six years old, Jack Wilson ranked 225th in the world with an average bull score of 42.50, and has gained a few hundred pounds since Guilherme Marchi rode him in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 10, 2018.
Owen believes the bull, who has a career average buck off time of 3.08 seconds, is coming into his prime.
“I bucked him some last summer,” Owen said. “He really did buck, but I didn’t get enough exposure to get him to the Finals.”
Ezekiel Mitchell rode Jack Wilson, who was scored 42 points, for 83.75 points on Friday night during Round 1 of the Monster Energy Buck Off at The Garden before accepting a re-ride in attempt to record a higher score.
“That is pretty cool to pay tribute to a guy like that,” Mitchell said. “(Jack Wilson) didn’t have to do what he did, so that is pretty awesome. (The bull) made short work of me last year in my first ever bull at The Garden, and he was my first bull this year. We were able to get two totally different results.”