Professional bull riders have all of eight seconds to try their hardest not to be flung off into the dirt.
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In that short time all sorts of things can go through a bull rider's head.
Nervous thoughts, fear and excitement - to say the least.
But for Lane Mellers, 19, his mind simply goes blank.
"I try to completely black out everything around me and just leave it up to muscle memory," Mellers said.
"I've ridden plenty of bulls now so I just trust my mobility and let it happen."
Mellers' first experience riding bulls dates back to when he was a youngster and would jump on the back of calves on his family's farm at Mundubbera, Queensland.
One thing led to another, and before too long he was entered in the local rodeo competition.
"I entered the competition as a joke...and have been hooked on bull riding ever since," Mellers laughed.
Mellers is now a professional, and is one of the many cowboys who will compete at the Professional Bull Riders Australia event in Bendigo this weekend.
Riders are required to stay on the back of the bull for a minimum of eight seconds in order to be scored.
One of the rider's hands holds onto a rope tied to the bull, and the other hand must remain in the air – if it touches the bull or rider, there is an instant disqualification.
"You never know what's going to happen in those eight seconds," Mellers said.
"If you approach a ride with thoughts of falling off or injuring yourself, you won't do well."
However, the most unpredictable element of the sport is how each bull will behave once the gates open.
"You always need to back yourself and be confident each ride," Mellers said.
During Mellers' short time as a professional he has ridden bulls in New Zealand, Australia and America.
Competitors will travel from all over the world for the event in Bendigo, with Brazilian riders tipped to be some of the strongest of the field.
"The Brazilian riders are unreal," Mellers said.
"A lot of them come from nothing and they travel to America or Australia for a better life, riding bulls."
At last year's Bendigo Invitational, New Zealander Fraser Babbington claimed the top prize at the first PBR event ever to be held in regional Victoria.
The 2019 PBR Australia event will be held this weekend at the Bendigo Showgrounds.
"It's not just a rodeo, there will be plenty of fun for the whole family," Mellers said.
In addition to the world's best bull riders on show, there will be pyrotechnics, live music, meet and greets, mechanical bulls for children/young adults, and food trucks.
"Get ready for three hours of heart pounding, adrenaline filled professional bull riding," Mellers said.
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