Back in boxer Mike Tyson's prime, the former heavyweight champion used to boast after one of his patented early-round knockouts, ";I'm the baddest man on the planet!"

Tonight at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds, at the Rocky Mountain Professional Bull Riders Challenge, one of the cowboys will be matched up with the PBR's version of Mike Tyson, a bull called ";Big Tex."

";He is the rankest bull on the planet," said PBR announcer Brandon Bates said of the 2,000-pound Brahma. ";Big Tex is one of the best I've ever seen. He's one of the all-time greats, and ranks in my personal top-five, after 20 years of watching bull riding."

But as difficult a task it is to ride the likes of Big Tex, the contestants realize that the tougher the bull is, the bigger the score will be if they're successful.

There will be 40 bull riders competing in the first go-round at the PBR Enterprise Tour event, including Helena's Sean Krei and Townsend's Luke Knaff, who will join cowboys from 12 states, Canada, Mexico and Australia.

The the best 10 scores will advance to the final short go-round.

Two of the top cowboys entered in the contest, Pistol Robinson and Travis Sellers, and one of the bullfighters, Nevada Miller, sat down for an interview at the Fairgrounds Tuesday. Robinson, 25, is from Burleson, Texas, and Sellers, 26, hails from Millburn, Oklahoma. The 26-year old Miller calls Mandan, North Dakota, home.

Robinson won a big contest in Bozeman last month, defeating Sellers by half-a-point, earning $7,000 and a handmade Gibson guitar.

The two cowboys also happen to be best friends and traveling partners. They share expenses 50-50, while competing in over 100 contests a year, sometimes as many as four in one week.

When Sellers pointed out that he ";didn't lose" in Bozeman, but instead ";won second place," Robinson quickly needled his buddy, quipping ";No, he lost it."

Both started competing in rodeos at a young age. Robinson began sheep riding at the age of five, and Sellers was eight when he started on steers. They climbed aboard their first full-grown bulls at the tender ages of 11 and 12, respectively.

In 2006, Robinson won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association bull riding championship for the Southern Region. The 5-foot-10, 135-pound athlete's top payday as a pro was a $22,000 effort in Fort Worth, Texas; while Sellers' biggest win took place in Oklahoma City, when he garnered $15,000.

Both men described how bull riders, and rodeo folks in general, are a unique fraternity.

";All the bull riders are like a second family," said Sellers, who stands 6-0 and weighs 150. ";The camaraderie is really special, we all support each other, we're all in it together."

";We help our opponents out, whether it's giving advice or pulling their ropes. We're out there to beat the bulls," Robinson said.

The duo also included the bullfighters as part of the fraternity.

";When we go down, those guys are crazy enough to put their lives on the line and jump in there right on top of those bulls," Robinson said, nodding toward Miller.

";It's us against the bulls," the 5-11, 165-pound Miller said. ";We're all in it together, it takes a lot of teamwork out there."

According to Brandon Bates, PBR action is always thrilling, but the ante goes up in what's called the championship round. He explained that the object of the championship round is to give the cowboys a bull they can score 90 or better on, which means the last 10 bulls are the toughest to ride.

";On a scale of 10, the first 40 bulls are mostly sevens, with a few eights," said Bates, who has been the official PBR announcer for eight years. ";In the championship round, they'll mostly be 10s, with a couple nines."

The scoring is performed by two judges, with each one grading a ride on a maximum score of 25 points for the bull, and 25 for the cowboy. A ride of 90 takes an average of 45 points between the two judges.

";They grade the bulls on bucking, intensity, spinning, power and change of direction," Bates said. ";The cowboy is judged on his control of the ride, and his display of talent."

The top prize tonight is $6,000. Robinson and Sellers compared their profession to that of a gambler -- because a no-ride means no paycheck -- although they emphasized that there is no comparison between skill and mental preparation, and pure luck.

And Robinson, Sellers and Miller each admitted an obsessive-like passion for the life of a professional cowboy.

";I love that adrenaline rush you get when you nod your head, and all the places and friends I've made around the world," Robinson said.

";This has been my life, I don't know anything else - I live and breath it," Sellers added.

The PBR contest, which is presented by Helena Toyota, begins at 7:30 at the new Fairgrounds arena. For ticket information, go to

www.lccfairgrounds.com, or phone 457-8516.

Curt Synness: 449-2150 or curt52s@bresnan.net