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Some of the best bulls in the country met the top cowboys of the Dakotas Tuesday at the All Seasons Arena.

For the most part it was the bulls owning the opening night of the North Dakota State Fair NPRA Championships Bull Riding competition.

Of the 36 rides in the long round, only seven cowboys lasted the full eight seconds.

Despite the low success rate, the North and South Dakota cowboys didn't go down without a fight.

Travis Koester of Redfield, S.D., won the opening round with a high score of 84 points on the bull Smokin' Aces.

Koester was followed by Frank Wall (81 points), Chris Ehlers (79), Cody Schultz (78), Abe Dillman (76), Rance Maddock (72) and Nate Nelson (72) in completed rides during the first round.

To live up the 50-ride guarantee billing, event officials added the longest times of the unsuccessful riders to the final short go-round.

After getting bucked off on his opening ride, Velva's Zac Peterson bounced back to take the lead in the final round. Peterson matched Koester's 84 points in the short go to take the lead in the round.

Peterson's score held up until Schultz, Tulare, S.D., responded with a highest score of the night.

Schultz rode his final bull of the night for an impressive 87 points to take the short round with the high ride of the night.

Peterson and Schultz were the only two cowboys to score in the final round.

Competition at the North Dakota State Fair Championship Bull Riding will conclude tonight starting at 7 p.m. at the All Seasons Arena.