AUSTIN, Texas – Under the bright lights of Moody Center at Gambler Days, a familiar name reemerged from the back pens. For the first time since the passing of legendary stock contractor Gene Owen, Man Hater burst from the chutes, carrying with him the weight of history and memory.
The iconic bull, now under the sole ownership of Jane Clark, made his first out since Owen’s death a ride to remember. And leading off for the Texas Rattlers was Brady Fielder, the soft-spoken Australian.
Fielder and Man Hater had met five times prior, with the bull holding the clear edge at 4-1 — including a buckoff at the 2025 PBR World Finals. But Saturday night in Austin, the outcome shifted. Fielder nodded, settled in, and made the whistle for 93.75 points, sticking the landing on his feet as he does with calm precision.
It was Fielder’s second qualified ride on the reigning two-time YETI World Champion Bull, moving his record against Man Hater to 2-6. Yet the 25-year-old treated it like business as usual.
“Part of taking care of my job,” Fielder said, when asked about facing down the legendary bovine.
While Fielder played it cool, his Rattlers teammate Ezekiel Mitchell radiated energy before the matchup. Bouncing around the locker room with a grin spread ear to ear, Mitchell, along with all of Moody Center, was ready to see some great old-fashioned bull riding.
Fielder, steady as stone, delivered the moment. Mitchell, along with the rest of the arena, erupted.
For fans, it was more than just another marked score. It was Man Hater’s return — the bull Gene Owen once said he would not sell “for a million dollars.” The bull whose name is stitched into PBR history, whose legacy carries forward now under new care.
Saturday night’s Rattlers-Freedom clash was defined by fireworks, with three 90-point rides in the game alone, including Fielder’s headline-making effort. It was a showcase of what makes Cody Lambert’s Texas Rattlers who they are — a team known for eating, sleeping, breathing, drinking coffee, and riding bulls. The definition of DYJ: do your job.
Saturday night in Austin, Man Hater reminded the world he still commands center stage. And Brady Fielder, cool as ever, reminded the world that legends are best honored not with words, but with rides.
Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media