Indigenous riders have travelled thousands of kilometres from across Australia and New Zealand to compete at this year's Mount Isa Mines Indigenous Rodeo Championships, which commences Thursday.

Riders include teenage bullrider Ethan Williams, who made the some 1800 km journey from Burpengary, near Brisbane, to compete at this year's event.

Although the apprentice carpenter didn't grow up rodeoing, the 17-year-old said he's eager to compete in both the Indigenous Rodeo Championships and Mount Isa Mines Rodeo second division bullride.

"I'm excited about the personality of the Mount Isa bulls and am dead keen to get going, it's a long way and it's worth it," Williams said.

Also competing in the Championships is Mount Isa local, Waluwarra rider Cordel Gosbee.

The 19-year-old, who began riding poddy calves before he could walk grew up at the Rodeo, now set to compete in both the Indigenous Rodeo Championships and the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo across steer wrestling, rope and tie and team rope.

"It's my first Isa Rodeo since coming back from studying Sports Education at University in Brisbane, so I'm feeling much more confident and practiced this year," Gosbee said.

The inclusion of the Ah One x Church Family Trans-Tasman Indigenous Rodeo Challenge has also attracted competitors from New Zealand, including 29-year old cowboy Merv Church.

The proud Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Tūwharetoa man and New Zealand Indigenous team captain has a strong rodeo family background through his grandfather - 'the godfather of New Zealand Rodeo' - Mervyn Church, and father Corey Church, who is a six-time New Zealand Rodeo Cowboys Association champion.

Having dreamed of riding at the Mount Isa Rodeo since he was young, Church said he was optimistic the Trans-Tasman Rodeo Challenge will become an annual event.

"My dad and uncles all talk about Mount Isa Rodeo, everyone talks about riding at this rodeo," Church said.

"It would be the icing on the cake to take home a famous Mount Isa Rodeo buckle (trophy).

"I'm so privileged to be riding one of Shane Kenny's (legendary Australian cowboy) horses, which makes it one of the best in the world, and the whole team is so thankful to have incredible horses for this rodeo."

Held across Thursday and Friday, the inclusion of the Championships' inaugural Trans-Tasman celebrates the history of both the Ah One (Indigenous) and Church (Māori) families.

The event pays particular tribute to George Ah One - known as The Carandotta Drover - who with his family, walked the legendary Carandotta horses more than 200 kilometres from Carandotta Station to Kalkadoon Park for the annual Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo in 1959.

Isa Rodeo Limited CEO, Natalie Flecker said the Mount Isa community was eager for the annual Rodeo, the southern hemispheres largest, to commence.

"This year champions will return to battle for the famous buckles, newcomers will become legends, juniors will rise up, eight seconds will seem like a lifetime and the heritage and importance of rodeo in the Outback will be celebrated," Ms Flecker said.

Beginning on Thursday, the Mount Isa Rodeo Festival runs until Sunday, with tickets remaining available.