Trey Traweek trekked almost 1,000 miles from Texas to Augusta for three letters.

P--B--R.

Traweek joined 44 other bull riders for the USCA Extra Inning PBR Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour at James Brown Arena.

Bull riding organizer, and USC Aiken baseball coach, Kenny Thomas first brought the sport to Augusta in 2003. But Saturday night's near sellout was the first time the event has been sanctioned by the Pro Bull Riders circuit.

"I know the fans wanted it," Thomas said. "I'm just glad we could do it."

Despite a day's worth of chilly rain, and snow in the forecast, thousands of fans poured into the downtown arena. Forty-five minutes before the show's 8 p.m. start, foot traffic around the mezzanine level was almost at a standstill.

After the competition began, Thomas looked around the arena at the smattering of blue jeans and cowboy boots.

"This is unbelievable," he said. "The weather man is calling for all this bad weather, talking about it might snow. It ain't going to snow on a PBR night."

The PBR is the most popular bull riding organization in the United States. The PBR's Built Ford Tough Series is televised on the cable network Versus, and eight events were televised on FOX and NBC last year.

This event is on the PBR's Enterprise Tour. Prize money won on this tour helps bull riders qualify for the Built Ford Tough Series finals. Last year's finals paid out almost $280,000 to champion Wiley Petersen.

Traweek, of Denison, Texas, said Saturday's event being affiliated with the PBR is the lone reason he fit it in his busy schedule.

He left Augusta late Saturday night and embarked on a 15-hour drive to Fort Worth, Texas, for another event at 2 p.m. today.

Why go through all the hassle?

"It's a great bull riding," he said. "The guy putting this on is great. There's a great stock contractor. There's some good bulls here.

"And there's $10,000 to the winner."

Brendon Averett, a 19-year-old bull rider from Hungerford, Texas, said he came because of the PBR affiliation and because of the top prize.

"This is a big event," he said. "It's pretty prestigious to ride in PBR events like this all over the place, to come into nice coliseums like this and be out of the bad weather outside."

Because of the PBR affiliation, a souvenir stand featured trading cards ($2), programs ($8), T-shirts and caps (each $20), and hooded sweatshirts ($45) -- all with the PBR logo.

Earl Tawzer, of Washington, Ga., and his family and friends came to the event to celebrate his 8-year-old son Garrett's birthday. They purchased a pair of hats, a pair of bull figurines and a program.

Tawzer said he and his family were excited to witness a PBR event in person.

"You're going to see some of the best bulls and some of the best riders," he said.

"We've been to some smaller shows, but this is the first big one we've been to."

Because of the change to PBR, Thomas picked up a new stock contractor, Jeff Robinson, of Mars Hill, N.C. Robinson brought 2007 PBR Bull of the Year, Chicken on a Chain. Robinson and comedian Larry the Cable Guy comprise two of the bull's three owners.

Thomas said before the show he put more money in the event to get the PBR. He said it was well worth it.

As he looked on Saturday night, Thomas looked ahead to having the PBR back in 2009.

"We plan on bringing it back next year for sure," he said.

From the Sunday, January 20, 2008 edition of the Augusta Chronicle