He's only 16 years old but Cooper Mitchell has the world at his feet after recently winning a competition at the biggest rodeo in Australia.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Mitchell finished equal first with good friend Nash Jones in the second division bull riding at the Mount Isa Rodeo in outback Queensland, the biggest of its kind in the country.
After returning home to Dubbo in NSW's Central West, the youngster couldn't wipe the smile off his face and admitted it hadn't quite sunk in yet.
"It was my first time going up, I managed to get the job done and win it," he said.
Most people his age are learning to drive cars on the road, not riding bulls but Mitchell said his love for rodeos began almost a decade ago.
"Dad and one of his mates they used to ride back in the day, I went to Mendooran Rodeo one year and told dad 'I wanna do that'," he said.
"He thought I wasn't serious but I kept begging him for a month and we went out to mate's place and I rode my first one (bull) there.
"Ever since then I got the addiction to it and can't stop, it's in my blood."
Roughly 80 riders were in Mitchell's division and the recent champion is eager to back again one day after making a late decision to make the trip north in the first place.
"It's always been a dream of mine to go there, I went up to Taroom about a month and won the bull ride there," he said.
"I thought I was may as well go to Isa, I'm on a roll."
Finishing with a score of 152 from his two rides, Mitchell's score in the short round (final) was the best of the event.
Having seemingly settled into the competition with ease, Mitchell admitted there were a few nerves riding, especially in front of a big crowd.
"Once we got up there I rode my first bull in the long round which was good enough to get me in the top ten and through the short round," he said.
"Before that short round, I had a quick spew to ease the nerves.
"You got off your bull and you could just hear the crowd."
With his parents sitting at home eagerly awaiting to hear from their son, Cooper admitted the best part of winning was letting them know how well he did.
"I knew I had in it me but you are up against 80 blokes and you think your chances are low," he said.
"I'd only been on a handful of second division bulls before I got up there.
"I was half hesitant before going up there because you are riding the best bulls in the division but I said to Dad 'imagine if I win it'.
"I remember calling them after riding the first bull and they were proud as, when I rode the second one it was the best thing about calling them to tell them I just won Mount Isa."
IN OTHER NEWS:
For the majority of people who haven't ridden a bull before, the recent Mount Isa champion opened up on exactly what the experience is like.
"There's no real word to explain it, it's awesome," he said.
"It seems stupid but once you are good enough, your form improves and it gets less dangerous because you know what you are doing.
"The adrenaline rush is amazing."
The future is bright for Mitchell with rodeos around NSW coming up over the next few months.
But looking ahead, Mitchell has his sights set on a move across the globe to try and crack the big time.
"I'm hoping to finish my apprenticeship and head to America," he said.
"Rodeo over there is like soccer over here, one of my mates went over about a month ago and is now the junior world champion."