Young Rider - Travis Bandy

This story is from the July 2019 Horse Deals magazine.

Age: 17

Lives:
On a cattle property 25km from Corryong, Victoria.

Education/occupation:
Student in year 11.

Family history with horses?
Dad has been riding his whole life, he had horsey parents too. Dad was heavily in the rodeo circuit for many years and once he finished that he went to campdrafting. Mum has been riding her whole life. She started off doing pony club and gymkhana’s, then moved to campdrafts. So I grew up with horses, each member of my family campdrafts including my older sister Georgia.

What age did you start riding?
I’ve been riding for as long as I can remember.

Tell us about your first pony.
My first pony was a snow white mare named Pixie that I learnt to ride on when I was very very little.

What was your first competition?
Tumut Show Stockman’s Challenge in 2007. I rode Bandit who was my mum’s horse and I won. I was only five years old.

What are some of the highlights of your success?
Winning the Battle on the Bidgee in 2017 and winning the Man From Snowy River two years in a row, 2018 and 2019.

Congratulations on winning the overall Junior Challenge at the Man From Snowy River Bush Festival for the second year in a row. What was involved in your preparation for the six preliminary events?
Plenty of practice and riding to get my horse fit and ready. I don’t actually have a specific event that I find more difficult than the other.

What were your thoughts being named the Junior Man From Snowy River for a second year in a row?
It was awesome to have another win this year. This was my last year in the Juniors, it gives you a little extra confidence going into the Open I guess.

Your horse Booneri Memphis was also declared the highest scoring Australian Stock Horse. Tell us about your partnership with him and how he came into your life.
I purchased Memphis as a 4 year old in 2017. He would have to be one of the most casual horses I think I’ve ridden. My first comp with him was Kings of the Ranges 2018. It was Memphis’ first challenge and he hadn’t done any challenge stuff before. We came second.

In the ASH Feature Campdraft at the Man From Snowy River Bush Festival, you were competing against your father and took out the win, do you guys compete against each other often and is there much rivalry between you?
Yeah, Dad and I compete against each other every weekend that we are drafting. It’s always good to get one up on him!

What is the secret to your success?
I guess just practice and it will all come together with time and patience.

How many horses do you have in work at the moment?
Currently I do not have any of my own horses in work but I do have two outside horses here that I am riding for other people. I always have horses coming in for breaking and riding. I will probably continue down this path after school but who knows. Together with the rest of the family we have 35 horses on the property.

How do you juggle study and horses?
To be honest I don’t do a lot of study, so the horses fit in pretty well.

Do you have a current favourite?
Roc CD is my all time favourite because anyone can ride him, you can draft in the Open and then put a junior on him and compete in the Juniors. He adapts to all riders. We have owned him for about 10 years now. I only ride him every now and then, mainly Mum, Dad and Georgia ride him.

Share a typical day in your life.
School from eight until four, work horses from four until dark and do a bit of hunting in between.

Who’s your idol?
My idol would have to be Dad. Because he is someone I look up to and I want to be like him. Dad started campdrafting once he finished his rodeo circuit. He mainly rode broncs. I want to do this too. Currently I have ridden some broncs but not many.

Who is your coach and what are their best words of advice for you?
Dad and his words of advice “practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.”

How do you manage the highs and lows of the sport?
When you have a win enjoy it, but don’t let it go to your head and if you have a low, keep your head up. There is always another competition around the corner.

What are your future plans?
I’m planning on competing in next year’s MFSR, a goal I’ve had for as long as I can remember is to be the youngest man to win the MFSR at the age of 18 which is next year.

What is the difference between the MFSR Open Challenge and the MFSR Junior Challenge?
MFSR Open has the same preliminary events as the Juniors but they expect more from you in the Opens. For example, the shoeing faze in the Juniors you just have to trim, whereas in the Open you have to trim, shape and put the shoe on. The finals in the Open are different, you now have to do a young horse catch and a buck jump, in the Juniors you only have to do a working cow pattern.

What do you like to do outside of horses?
Play football, basketball and do a fair bit of hunting.

Can’t live without?
Horses I guess.

Sponsors: Diamond K Country and Toprail Equine.

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