Bull riding remains as popular as ever in Augusta.

Kenny Thomas, the event organizer of the Extra Inning World Championship Bull Riding competition, is doing everything he can to continue the trend.

After three years of selling out the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center, Thomas is flabbergasted. He never imagined the event would do so well.

"It's surpassing what I hoped," he said. "You sit back and dreamed it'd be really, really big.

"This thing is just going to grow and grow and grow."

Thomas said the fourth annual show, which begins at 8 tonight, will be even bigger and better. He has worked hard to do just that.

For the second year in the row, the purse has doubled. One bull rider could leave Augusta with up to $30,000.

To do that, the rider would have to win the long go, short go and overall competition. It's a tall task in the sport.

Thomas said he expects the winner to take home between $10,000 and $14,000. It's quite an increase in prize money since Boyce Knox won the inaugural 2003 event and took home less than $2,000.

"This is one of the richest one-day events in the country," Thomas said. "It's made Augusta's bull riding event one of the more popular ones with the bull riders."

Fifty bull riders are expected to compete in the event. The top 20 in the Southern Xtreme Bull Riders Association and the top 15 of the International Pro Rodeo Association qualified for the competition. Fifteen others will receive a special invitation.

Josh Reed, the 2005 leading money winner on the International Pro Rodeo Association circuit, is expected to attend. Jake McIntyre and Michael Riggs, regular competitors on the Professional Bull Riders Association, which is broadcast on two cable networks and NBC, also will be in the mix.

Riggs, of Claxton, Ga, earned almost $6,500 in an August PBR competition, marking his career highlight.

The riders will face some of the toughest bulls Thomas could corral. Instead of having one stock contractor bring his best bulls, Thomas said he's using three stock contractors for the first time.

"No one stock contractor can bring the quality of bulls we need," he said. "They're each going to bring their 20 best bulls."

Money raised from the event will be split between University of South Carolina Aiken's baseball team and the Aiken AMBUCS club, which awards scholarships to disabled seniors in high school.

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Fourth annual Extra Inning World Championship Bull Riding competition

WHERE: Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center

WHO: Fifty riders against top bulls handpicked by event organizers

TICKETS: $14-19

FORMAT: The top eight riders advance to the short go. There, the rider with the best two-run average wins the competition.

--From the Friday, January 20, 2006 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle