Taking on a Hailstorm

By Adelle Ellis, Times Reporter

In his debut Professional Bull Riders (PBR) event on U.S. soil – after riding in just three Canadian PBR events in 2018 – Siksika Nation bull rider Travis Maguire went one for three and took on two bulls before earning his spot in the championship round at the PBR Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour (RVT) finals in Las Vegas Nov. 2-3.
Maguire, who in the past couple years graduated from the amateur to pro rodeo circuit, was bucked off in the first round at 2.85 seconds before going on to win the second round of the PBR RVT finals with a score of 88.5 points on a bull named Hailstorm.
“That ride felt really good … I went out there jump for jump and everything went awesome. My (bull) jumped out one right there and went to the left and he just stayed in it for the whole eight and everything worked right into my hands, everything worked out,” said Maguire, who earned his ticket to the PBR VRT finals after being crowned tour champion for the 2018 Indian Nationals Finals Rodeo (INFR) this past rodeo season.
Maguire, 25, has been riding bulls since age 14 and found his way to the INFR circuit when he was 15. He said he dreamed of riding with all the bigwigs on the rodeo circuit, and was glad to finally get his chance and prove that he belongs.
“It’s an honour to ride with all those guys, it’s a dream come true,” said Maguire who took to heart some great advice from fellow Canadian bull rider, Brock Radford, who told Maguire to “keep calm and collected and to take a couple deep breaths and that all I can control is how hard I can try and to keep it in mind not to overthink it.”
Maguire has always had an interest in rodeo, horses and the rodeo atmosphere. Along with rodeoing, he breaks and trains horses, and works at the Calgary Stockyards west of Strathmore along with caring for his young family that supports his rodeo dream.
Although he was in the money during the second round on Saturday, Maguire fell victim to bull Hawaiian Bond and got thrown over the bull’s head at 2.81 seconds before being tossed into the chutes where he sustained injury.
“He was one jump right in the chute, coming around to the left and he had a little move to him. I went over his head, bounced off his head about three times and he whipped me into the chutes and unfortunately he knocked me out,” said Maguir,e who was only wearing a hockey helmet with a bull riding cage during his ride.
At the time, he was passed by sports medicine as only having an injured shoulder; but due to blurry vision and fuzzy memory later in the day, Maguire is sure he sustained a concussion and will use the next four weeks to rest. He is also not taking any more chances of sustaining larger concussions and has purchased a certified bull riding helmet to use next year.
With a successful season under his belt, Maguire plans on riding in the PBR Canada circuit again next year and making it to the PBR Canada Finals. He is also planning on getting his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) permit to ride in a couple rodeos further south of the border.
Maguire dedicated this past rodeo season to his father – one of his biggest supporters – who passed away last year.
“This whole season was for him. I just really wish he was around so he could see all the success this season. This whole summer and this win was for him; he was one of my biggest supporters and he always pushed me to try new things even when I was out of my comfort zone,” said Maguire who finished seventh overall at the PBR RVT finals. “I just love this sport so much … my family support means a lot to me.”