story by Ruth Nicolaus
Trayton Travnicek is in a pretty sweet spot right now.
The fifteen year old cowboy, a member of the Nebraska Junior High School Rodeo Association, is ranked in the top five in both of his events, team roping and chute dogging.
Trayton, who lives with his family three miles north of Minatare, heads for his brother Trace in the team roping. His head horse is a nine year old mare named Bailey who is calm when she chooses to be. “Most of the time she’s calm,” he said, “but some days she’s not very happy.” He’s learned to cooperate with her on her off days.
Trayton has just finished his eighth grade year at Scottsbluff Middle School, and he’ll spend much of his summer helping his grandpa Rodney Adams on his corn and sugar beet farm. He helps irrigate and drives tractor, and, during harvest, drives the grain cart. He’s looking forward to the day when he can drive the combine. He doesn’t get paid, per se, but when it’s fair time, his grandpa often buys his 4-H or FFA animal.
Trayton is a member of the Panhandle 4-H Club and will show a pig this year at the Scotts Bluff County Fair. He is also a member of his school’s FFA chapter, and will show an FFA pig as well. In school, he wrestles, plays football, and is on the honor roll.
When he grows up, he’d like to farm and ranch and be involved in agriculture in some way.
For fun, Trayton likes to rope the dummy with his brother, ride with his friends, hunt, and fish.
His brother Trace is thirteen. He has a younger sister, Tallee, who is seven.
He is the son of Tommy and Heather Travnicek.