USC Aiken baseball hosts annual bull riding competition - WFXG FOX54 Augusta - Your News One Hour Earlier

It was a packed house at the James Brown Arena as cowboys clashed with beasts.

The 12th Annual USC Aiken Bull Riding Competition brought thousands to watch riders try to hold on for the mandatory eight seconds, and it was all to help the USCA Pacers baseball team.

Pacer Head Coach Kenny Thomas says while it gives the program a financial boost, it also helps put the team out there to the fans.

"It's a big financial support, and more than that though, it gets us in the community," Thomas says. "It gives us a good opportunity to meet a lot of people and showcases our baseball program."

But the contest is also a hit with the riders.

"You get these big crowds in these big coliseums," says rider Josh Faircloth. "They're screaming and hollering at the top of their lungs. It's just a huge adrenaline rush."

The Pacers baseball team raises $60,000 annually at the event.