The Professional Bull Riders World Finals brings together 45 of the very toughest dudes to ride some of the wildest bulls in a thrilling showdown that also includes blackjack and golf tournaments, a fashion show, mutton bustin', live entertainment, shopping and interactive activities in the Fan Zone.

The cowboy's job is to stay on his designated bull for a full eight seconds until the whistle blows. If he makes it, there are nine more bulls to ride - though very few make it through all ten, but it is the Professional Bull Riders World Finals afterall.

At the end of the day, the judges decide who has shown the most skill and who has ridden the most difficult bulls. Rated on a scale of one-25, each beast is assessed on speed, power, drop in front end, kick in back end and the dreaded "body roll", which is a kind of twist in mid-air. Past champion bulls have been Tornado (weighing a staggering 1850 pounds), Red Rock and Bodacious (affectionately known as Bo).

With a history of nasty injuries that includes getting hooked by the horns as well as being charged and trampled on, this sport is not for the faint-hearted. For the tens of thousands of spectators, it offers two weekends of thrills from the safety of the stands. For the bulls, who knows? From the way they buck and kick, one can only assume it's infuriating. As for the cowboys, there's the kudos and, of course, the prize money - more than a million dollars.