As Adriano Moraes’ career as a bull rider comes to a close, over 1000 friends, family and fans chose to honor him at a retirement party at the South Point Hotel and Casino, hosted by the PBR. To say this party was outstanding would be an understatement! The planning and attention to detail was incredible. A lovely buffet lunch was served to all, and each part of the presentation was carefully scripted and executed.
Videos playing on big screens around the room showed Moraes with his parents in Brazil, other family moments, highlights of his career and memorable quotes he had written about life and his own personal beliefs. The PBR presented him with a bronze statue of himself aboard Little Yellow Jacket, a duplicate of the life-size bronze that adorns the front of the PBR Headquarters in Pueblo, Colorado.
While Adriano, his wife Flavia, and three of their four sons sat on a couch on the stage, the cream of the crop stood up to extole Moraes’ virtues. This started with PBR CEO, Randy Bernard and continued with Cody Lambert, Michael Gaffney, Ty Murray and David Fournier. Guilherme Marchi and Paulo Crimber stood up for the Brazialian contingent and trying hard not to break down, spoke not only of Moraes’ career, but of the inspiration and friendship he has given them as well. Without exception each of these speakers acknowledged Moraes as the greatest bull rider of all time and as an outstanding person as well.
In one of the highest honors one can achieve in a lifetime, a letter was received and read from the President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, to Moraes expressing his disappointment at being unable to attend the ceremony, and congratulating him on an incredible career and wishing him all the best in the future.
An emotional Moraes took the podium and thanked each and every person who attended the event and spoke of his appreciation of his fans, and his love of the sport. He spoke of his love for his wife and for his children, putting not only them in tears, but the entire crowd as well. He promised that he would remain in the industry and be here again next year and said that he would like to be remembered as an ordinary man who accomplished extraordinary things.
As a member of the media, I thank you Adriano for the support that you have shown us. You have always made yourself available to us, even when it was not for yourself, but to translate for someone else. You have been a spokesman for the sport and for the PBR that has no equal. On a personal note, I shall miss you and I wish you all the best in raising your bulls and creating a new career for yourself. I shall remember you as not an ordinary man, but as my friend and an extraordinary man who believed in his goal and never gave up.
God speed Adriano.
Until next time…
Linda Peterson
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