M-SRA member, Travis Hofmann – Peter Hammer
story by Terry Rhodes
Travis Hofmann has been competing in Mid-States Rodeos since 2006 when he was 18, but has only had his member’s card for two years. Last year he made it to nearly all the rodeos and easily made it to the Finals. He appreciates the association because it’s user-friendly. “Anyone can come and join; get a card and compete. You don’t have to fill a permit.” Besides Mid-States, he is in the NSRA and the Ultimate Bull Riding Tour.
Travis is a former team roper that made the jump to bull riding back during his high school rodeo days. “I had a friend that didn’t think I’d actually get on a bull at a junior rodeo. I told him, ‘Watch me.’ After that I was hooked.” Travis said that he picked up a lot of tips and how-to information by just hanging out with bull riders and watching the ones that did well. “I did go to a Gary Leffew bull riding school and that just took me to a whole new level in my riding. Between the riding and mental aspect of what he teaches, it helped me a lot. I would suggest to any kid that wanted to learn to ride bulls to go to one of his schools.”
He was the first in his family to take up the sport and they had some difficulty understanding the ‘why’ of Travis’s passion for bull riding. “After my friend, Clint Koenig died in a bull riding wreck; my family understood how much this meant to me and really got behind me and supported me.” Travis’s mother, Tami Moody is his biggest supporter now. “Before she wouldn’t come out or watch videos of my rides. But she does come to watch now.” Travis says that the one of the best bull riders that he likes to watch and learn from is J.B. Mauney because of how good he is, and how consistent he is in his riding.
Staying in a positive frame of mind and always remembering to have fun is how Travis gets ready to compete. “I don’t take it too serious. I like to joke around with my buddies behind the chutes. I like to just react when I’m riding, if I over-think it, I don’t do as well. I do love to compete and I have a lot of ‘try’ that keeps me going.” He stays in top physical condition with the Insanity program, coupled with running and free weights. When people say the yellow chaps that Travis uses are bad luck, he has response ready to fire back. “I make my own luck.”
Travis, 27, names his grandfather, Bill Buss as being his biggest influence in his personal life. “My grandparents kind of raised me. Mom had to work two jobs so he was a father figure for me. Besides being a great grandpa and nice guy, he instilled in me a good work ethic. He had cattle and being around that, I learned to love that way of life. Travis makes his home in Pierce, Neb. where he was born and raised. “I’ve moved away a few times but I keep coming back to my roots.”
During the week Travis works at Nucor Steel where he operates a remote locomotive. Leisure time is spent with friends or doing some hunting. Goals for the future are to one day put together a cattle operation of his own.
