URBAN COWBOY

Eight seconds may not seem like a lot of time, but the Professional Bull Riders organization insists it’s the toughest eight seconds in sports — and we agree. The annual
Monster Energy Buck Off pits 35 world-class cowboys against the fiercest bulls around, and the excitement is hard to match in more civilized sports like football. In addition to the bulls, the event is packed with pyrotechnics, pulsating music, and special effects to add to the festivities. The Buck Off is serious about skills for both the rider and the bull. Two judges grade the cowboy and two grade the bull to determine the top fifteen riders who compete in the short round for prizes, with the national champion taking home a million bucks. As the PBR calls it, this is bull riding at its “snot-spewing, bone-crushing, adrenaline-soaked” best, so bring on the pain!

Jan. 16-18, 8 p.m., 2015