Australian bull riding star Troy Dunn's success attracts Central Queensland rider Dustin Roots

Dustin Roots, 15, of Duaringa is currently ranked equal fourth in the PBR Can-Am Junior Academy in his age group and is in training for his next ride in Rockhampton on September 23 at the Great Western Hotel.

As per the leader board, Dustin the leading Queenslander in his age group of over 15 and under 18. In equal fourth place is Darcy Todd of Upper Horton, NSW.

Dustin said his goal was to be another Troy Dunn, who he had done schools with in Mackay and who was his idol.

He said he hoped to be riding at world level in the US PBR once he finished his school based apprenticeship in carpentry.

"I'll get through school and hopefully no injuries come before then...then I'll head overseas and come back and work on a (cattle) station around home," he said.

Dustin said he started his bull riding career when he was six years old.

He said his father, Adrian, used to ride bulls and then took up fighting bulls as a rodeo clown.

"It's always been an interest of mine...and I started getting on calves when I was younger," he said.

"I liked it and have gone up through the ranks...from calves to the little age group in the mini bulls, right through all the mini bull age groups to the junior bulls to where I now get on a few novice bulls."

According to Dustin, it's the adrenaline rush that attracts him to the sport, along with the prospect of meeting new people and going to "a lot of cool places".

To date, he has only had a few broken ribs and torn muscles, but he said he tries not to think about getting hurt.

"It's always at the back of your mind, but if you think about it too much you don't really want to be doing it. You just black it and put it behind you and if happens, it happens," he said.

After 10 years of competing, Dustin said there had never been a bull on the circuit he did not want to ride.

He said there were a lot of bulls that were better than others and everyone wanted to draw the good bulls.

"But it's the luck of the draw of the circuit to get a good bull. They're all individual, they've all got their place, but there are ones you hope to get as they are the ones to win on," he said.

As to what makes a good bull rider, Dustin reckons you have to determination and you need to be mentally, not just physically, fit.

"So if you do get injured, you've got to be able to rest and heal and be able to come back and still be confident," he said.

Topping the leader board in Dustin's age group is Colby Edgar of Tamworth with the overall winner to be announced in Tamworth in November.

Dustin said if he had a couple more wins he would be able to catch first place.

Adrian Roots said his eldest son was doing really well now after a tough start to the season.

"He just didn't ride a lot of his bulls (early on) and drew some tough ones and didn't get them covered like he hoped he would have," he said.

"But, he's been working on a few things at home and changed a few things on how he's riding and his technique, and it seems to be paying off for him."

Dustin's 10-year-old brother, Wylie, also rides bulls while his sister, Chelsey, 14, competes in barrel races.

As well as managing a cattle property, Adrian and his wife, Amy, operate Back to Roots Rodeo Company selling rodeo gear and carting mini bulls to rodeos every weekend.