AUGUSTA, Ga. - More than 5,300 available tickets have gone quickly the past four years that bull riding has been offered as a special event during the Augusta Futurity.

The 2008 event, sanctioned by the Southern Extreme Bull Riders Association, begins at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, in the James Brown Arena and once again benefits the baseball team at the University of South Carolina-Aiken.

Tickets are $22 for premium lower seats; $18 for premium upper seats; $16 for all lower level end seats and $16, adults, and $10 children 12 and younger for all upper level end seats. Tickets available at the Civic Center box office.

Bucking bulls this year will be brought in from several states with more than 50 professional riders expected to compete.

"We want to make this the No. 1 bull riding event in the world," said USC-Aiken baseball coach Kenny Thomas. "We have had riders in our event go on to place high in other well-known bull riding competitions."