Eight seconds doesn&8217;t seem like a very long time.

But for Harpersville bull rider Ryan Davis, it can mean the difference between success and failure.

Davis was one of 50-plus cowboys and cowgirls who took part in the 19th-annual Shelby County Cattlemen&8217;s Rodeo this past weekend at the Shelby County Exhibition Center in Columbiana.

The 20-year-old cowboy is relatively new to the sport of bull riding, having only started his career two years ago.

&8220;One of my friends who rode suggested I try it,&8221; Davis said. &8220;I went to some rodeos and decided I would give it a shot.&8221;

It didn&8217;t take Davis long to realize just how much he enjoyed the thrill of riding 2,000-plus pounds of shear muscle.

&8220;I fell in love with it,&8221; he said. &8220;I love the feeling of being able to conquer such a powerful animal. It&8217;s an adrenaline rush.&8221;

Davis said his bull riding has helped him outside of the rodeo arena as well.

&8220;Riding definitely helps me conquer my fears,&8221; he said. &8220;It helps you as a person in different parts of life.&8221;

The Shelby County cowboy travels all over the Southeast to compete in local rodeos similar to the Cattlemen&8217;s event. He admits, however, that living the life of a bull rider is a lot of hard work.

&8220;It takes a lot of time and practice,&8221; Davis said. &8220;It&8217;s got to be something you really want to do and you have to be committed to working at it.&8221;

Especially in a sport, Davis said, where one mistake could be catastrophic.

Davis is good at keeping his cool in the face of the sport&8217;s many dangers.

He said the only fear he has each time he gets on a bull&8217;s back is the fear of falling short of a successful ride.

He credits his spiritual life for helping calm him when he rides.

&8220;I&8217;m not scared of getting hurt,&8221; he said. &8220;I&8217;m scared of failing more than anything else.&8221;

Rodeo bulls&8217; reputations usually precede them at events where Davis competes. But he said he tries to use that to his advantage.

&8220;You hear a lot about the backgrounds of some of these bulls,&8221; he said. &8220;So you can sometimes know what kind of ride they&8217;re going to be.&8221;

Davis was bucked from his bull in Saturday night&8217;s competition short of the eight-second minimum qualifying time. But losing to one bull only serves to spur Davis on towards defeating the next steer he rides.

&8220;I&8217;m going to try as hard as I can each time, regardless.&8221;