The tiny rider sat atop the towering steed that would carry him to victory in the annual llama races at Llanganates National Park in Ecuador.
Wellington Barrera, clad in a wool poncho, lambswool pants and a cowboy hat, was the only finisher in his under-three category, bouncing 1,640ft to victory.
The park, roughly 80 miles east of Quito, is famed for dramatic Andean vistas and the race took place between the wetlands at altitudes nearing 15,000ft.
His mother, Fatima Guanotuna, said the animal was a gift to the family when the boy was born, and the two have always been close.
But she came out a winner in a llama-training contest, showing mastery over her beast.
