Alex Eisen/MDN Minot's Skylar Hamilton hanging onto his bull before getting flipped off Tuesday evening at the North Dakota State Fair.

Eight seconds felt like an entirety and almost unachievable.

Cowboys from across the region tried their best to hang on, but only the elite managed to prevail Tuesday evening in the second and final night of the NPRA Bull and Ranch Bronc Riding competition at the North Dakota State Fair.

The Mosbrucker bulls tossed and turned riders into the ground the whole night. Not a single score was recorded in the first round of the bull riding competition, despite a few rides getting extremely close to the eight-second mark.

The bucking broncs showed no mercy as well, and even tried to jump out of the chute at various points.

The first successful ride of the night in either competition went to 27-year-old Cody McCarthy from Bridger, Montana, in the Ranch Bronc Riding event. He earned a respectable score of 79.

That was the only score posted prior to the intermission.

Right out of the break, 18-year-old Caden McCarthy nearly surpassed his brother Cody with a 78-point ride.

J.D. Woodbury from Lincoln, Nebraska, kept the bronc riders momentum going with a 71 on the next ride across the dirt at the All Seasons Arena.

T.J. Camblin from Burlington, Wyoming, stayed upright as well to net a score of 72 points and took third place.

The McCarthy brothers went head-to-head once more for bragging rights and each posted a second score of 72.

Cody got the last laugh though as his original 79 held up as the winning score for Tuesday’s bronc riding event.

Then, the bulls were brought back out to do some more damage in Round 2 and attempt to keep their undefeated streak intact.

It lasted one more ride before Cleve Spang from Billings, Montana, showed the bulls up for the first time. Spang slipped off right after the eight seconds expired and nabbed a score of 82.

The bulls got back to business from that point on, dropping riders left and right. But, one more bull rider managed to hold on for a second-place finish.

That was Ryan Walker from Killdeer, North Dakota, who got one of the more tamer bulls out of the chute to put together a score of 65.

All Seasons Arena hosts the Ranch Rodeo competition the next two nights at the North Dakota State Fair, as cowboys and cowgirls compete against each other in a variety of ranch hand tasks.

The action is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. with a pre-show mutton bustin’ competition at 6:30 p.m.

Alex Eisen covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.