Cowboys of all ages are invited to test their mettle Saturday at the first Alabama Bull Riders Association’s Selma competition.

The competition, which will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Selma Arena off Valley Creek Church Road, is a chance for young riders to qualify for two world finals in Austin, Texas and Shawnee, Okla.

Though the competition is quickly approaching, organizer Jimmy Boswell said there is still plenty of time for riders to get in on the action. Registration will be open on the grounds the day of the event.

“We’re doing it like that this time and for our Oct. 29 rodeo so it will give them a chance to find our webpage at www.rodeozone.net,” he said. “We are listed under the Alabama Youth and Junior Bull Riders.”

Competitions will include everything from mutton busting to senior bull riding and is open to ages 4 to 19, and prizes will include buckles and cash.

Boswell said there will be cake walks, T-shirts, hats, and boots for sale as well as steak sandwiches furnished by the Montgomery Stockyard.

The competition, which is the first to be held in Dallas County, will give young bull riders an opportunity to compete in their home state, Boswell said. It will also  show them they can be a champion in the arena and in life.

“Every state around us has an association, but there wasn’t one in Alabama,” he said. “I started one and I now realize how much work it takes. I started it because I want kids to know they can ride bulls without being on drugs. There is a problem among pro bull riders in these little rodeos. I want to teach them that you can ride bulls and love Jesus at the same time.”

Boswell, who  rode bulls in high school and with the American Cowboy Association while serving in the Army, said he began purchasing bulls when his role in competitions slowed down.

“I’ve been riding bulls all my life, but I’m getting older now so I started buying them for somebody else to ride,” he said.

The entrance fee for riders is anywhere from $25 to $50 depending on the level of competition.

Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students, and free for those under school ages.