CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Gene Owen immediately called PBR Director of Livestock Cody Lambert earlier this year when he heard that the PBR would be returning to the USS Lexington for another edition of Cowboys for a Cause.
Owen had hauled five bulls to the inaugural event in November 2020, and he certainly was not going to miss out on contributing in some fashion towards the second charity team bull riding competition this past weekend.
“It is such a neat deal, and I am glad to be a part of,” Owen said before six of his bulls bucked on the historic aircraft carrier. “It is something very few people get the opportunity to see or do.”
In partnership with Kubota and Bad Boy Mowers, this past weekend’s PBR Air Force Reserve Cowboys for a Cause team bull riding competition helped raise $125,000 for Farmer Veteran Coalition, which provides continued learning, grants and other support to veterans who have joined the agricultural community. Army Master Sargent and 21-year serviceman Ben Henbest, a Fayetteville, Arkansas resident, was honored during the event by Farmer Veteran Coalition and Kubota and was presented with a 2021 Kubota MX Series tractor to manage his growing cattle operation.
“The Farmers Veteran Coalition makes a personal investment, not just me, but for all veteran farmers,” Henbest said on CBS. “I am so thankful for their partnership with Kubota that helped me get a tractor and their other resources and their referrals systems that they do. We wouldn’t be successful without them.”
Jeanette Lombardo, the Executive Director of Farmer Veteran Coalition, added, “You have service members exiting the military and they are looking for a new purpose. Working with the animals and with the soil is just very fulfilling. Plus, they have that mission drive attitude and that is so necessary in agriculture where you are fighting so many elements that you have absolutely no control over. It is just about getting the job done at the end of the day, so it is a perfect fit.”
Giving back to military charities is something that hits close to home for Owen seeing as his son, Bobby, served in the United States Air Force for six years, including two different tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“It is a great deal to be a part of,” Owen said. “Absolutely. Really, especially with our country and what it has been going through the past few weeks, it is good for us to show our patriotism and do something for a good cause.
“It seems like there are so many people hurting and need help in all aspects, but any charity deal is just a good standard to set. To do what they can, I am just glad to be a part of a group of people that is not thinking just about themselves.”
CHISELED CONTINUES TO SURGE IN WORLD CHAMPION BULL STANDINGS
Owen’s top performing bovine in Corpus Christi was Concealed Carry. Concealed Carry tied for the third-best bull score on the USS Lexington with a 44.25-point outing for bucking off three-time World Champion Silvano Alves in 3.36 seconds in the championship round.
Meanwhile, Chiseled took home the top bovine honors at Cowboys for a Cause with an impressive 46.5-point bull score when he bucked off Claudio Montanha Jr. in 5.82 seconds.
Chiseled, the No. 2 ranked bull in the world, has posted back-to-back 46-plus bull scores to increase his YETI World Champion Bull average to 46.19.
Woopaa sits atop the standings 46.78-point World Champion Bull average.
No. 8 I’m Legit Too increased his contending score to 45.22 following a 45.5-point score when he took care of Cole Melancon in 4.54 seconds on the final out of the day.
Article Courtesy of the PBR
Photos courtesy of Andy Watson & Hailey Rae/Bull Stock Media
