LAS VEGAS – Gene Owen didn’t know he was supposed to be at the PBR Team Series Awards ceremony until the last second.
Owen was out in the pens, feeding his bulls, about to go pick up his girlfriend at the airport, when he got the call.
The PBR would be handing out the award for the YETI Fan-Favorite Bull Friday afternoon. Moonlight Party was nominated. Owen had to attend.
So instead of heading for the airport, Owen – dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt – re-routed for the South Point Hotel Casino & Spa.
“I wasn’t dressed,” he said, laughing and looking down at his casual ensemble. “I’m like, ‘Really, guys?!’”
But it was a good thing he showed up, because Moonlight Party took home the buckle thanks to a fan vote.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Owen said. “I’ve had a lot of partners over the years, and hundreds of bulls, if not thousands. Been coming to the PBRs for over 20 years. To win a fan-favorite, it’s pretty cool that the people, the fans, thought enough of him to vote on it, and I’m really proud of it. Any award in an organization as tough as the bull business is pretty cool.”
And it was a very well-deserved honor.
In three outs on the PBR Team Series, two of which were in the Bonus Round, he’s recorded three buckoffs. And none of those buckoff times were higher than 2.33 seconds.
Moonlight Party could’ve had an even more prolific season had he not been injured during the season-opener in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In his 1.69-second buckoff of Texas Rattler Braidy Randolph for a 43.5-point bull score, Moonlight Party suffered a leg injury.
“What happened was the ligament right here between the hock and his foot, I think he strained it, pulled it or something,” Owen said. “And it just took time off to get better. We laid him off for six weeks.
“If you’ve seen the video of him coming off the trailer when we got home from Cheyenne, it’s really amazing that he’s here today.”
Moonlight Party returned to action in Ridgedale, Missouri, for Thunder Days on September 25, bucking off Chase Dougherty of the Arizona Ridge Riders in 1.48 seconds for a bull score of 45.75 points.
But he saved the best for last. At Rattler Days in Fort Worth, Texas, Moonlight Party dispatched Thiago Salgado of the Nashville Stampede in 2.33 seconds to earn a bull score of 46 points.
“He got to come back and finish really good. He had a couple of really strong outs,” Owen said. “He’s been 100% when we’ve bucked him. He’s been as good as ever, I think.”
Not only is Moonlight Party the fan favorite, but he might be Owen’s favorite as well. Owen likes big bulls, and Moonlight Party weighs around 1800 pounds, but that’s just the beginning of why he’s special to his stock contractor. (Owen partners with Jane Clark on Moonlight Party.)
“We had a few deals last year where he bucked so hard that he lost his footing and went forward just because he was trying so hard,” Owen said. “He’s settled a little bit. He’s really easy to handle. You don’t think he’s going to run over you – he’s really not, but if you look at him, he’s acting like he would. But he’s really light on his feet. He’s fast, agile. He’s an athlete, and he really tries.”
Moonlight Party finished the 2022 Unleash The Beast season ranked No. 9 in the world. An off day with Cody Jesus at the PBR World Finals gave him a 41.75-point bull score and took him out of the running for the YETI World Champion Bull award. It was a slightly disappointing second trip to the World Finals, but Moonlight Party, who made his PBR debut in 2021, rebounded well.
With one buckle to his name already, Owen hopes there’s another one in the future.
And if you need to find him, he’ll be out in the pens.
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
