It's certainly not Mac Harries's first rodeo, but the young rider from Daly Waters in the Northern Territory is feeling nervous about his next major competition.
At just 10 years old, Mac is preparing to represent Australia in the US city of Las Vegas this year in a junior bareback riding event.
"I'm pretty excited and proud of myself," he said.
"To go to the States is pretty big – it's the best of the best."
Mac was among dozens of young competitors at this weekend's 56th Borroloola Bushman's Carnival, held at the Borroloola rodeo grounds about 1,000 kilometres south-east of Darwin.
Described by spectators as one of the last "old school" rodeos left in Australia, the community event is known for bringing together families from across cattle stations and surrounding Indigenous communities.
Borroloola boy Malachi O'Keefe said he looked forward to the carnival every year.
"What I like about the rodeo is riding and patting the horses," he said.
Georgie Murphy, 12, said she loved the sense of community and the adrenaline rush that comes with competing at the event.
"Everyone keeps coming back," she said.
Reflecting on the future of the carnival, Georgie said it was important that young riders continued to register in competitions "to keep it going".
"If it stops, then there won't be a Borroloola rodeo and that's what makes Borroloola unique and puts it on the map," she said.
Benji Bethel, 10, is another young rider turning heads.
Hailing from a station near the Top End town of Larrimah, Benji said the Borroloola rodeo stood out by having plenty of events for young people.
"Here at Borroloola, they do everything for kids," he said.
"It's different to other campdrafts because I reckon everyone knows each other."
Amanda Murphy, a co-organiser of this year's Borroloola Bushman's Carnival, said the event was known for being inclusive.
"It's open to a lot of people who don't really do any other rodeos for the year," she said.
"There's no professional riders that come in and take all the money — it's really just open slather to whoever is riding best on the day."
The four-day event concludes on Sunday evening, after a series of bronc-riding and bull-riding competitions in open divisions.