By Lily Weinacht
Faith Hoffman of Kiowa, Colo., is currently tied for second in the CSHSRA all-around, but her joy in rodeo is not based on the standings alone. “I love the family aspect of the sport. It’s individual but you have a family in rodeo and everyone is there to support you,” explains the 17 year old. “This is an awesome opportunity that God has given me to be around these people and have these relationships!”
While Faith competes in barrel racing, pole bending, breakaway roping, goat tying, and team roping as a header, goat tying is by far her favorite event. “I love the aggressive nature of the sport,” says Faith. “Kaylee Moyer taught me how to tie goats while my dad was coaching college rodeos, and I fell in love with it. I also love that if anything goes wrong, it’s on me and not my horse or a partner.” Goat tying also took Faith to the NHSFR for the first time last summer. “It was like nothing I’d ever experienced before! Being parked next to the rest of Colorado was really fun – we had potlucks and barbeques, and being around my friends for an entire week was special since we live so far away from each other.”
Both Kaylee Moyer and Faith’s dad, Dave Hoffman, are responsible for Faith’s love of the sport. Dave rode bucking horses until Faith was 12, and she knew from the time she was knee high that competing was in her future as well. “I also look up to Kaylee Moyer,” Faith adds. “She’s an awesome model of what a godly woman looks like in rodeo and how to be successful with grace and class. She’s the rodeo coach at Frank Phillips college in Borger, Texas.”
Faith and her parents, Dave and Chelsea Hoffman, and her brother, Cade (ten), make their home near Kiowa. While Cade prefers dogs and cats over horses, he travels to many of Faith’s rodeos, and Chelsea can be found behind her camera lens. “My parents are so supportive of me and have definitely helped me get to where I am,” says Faith. “They come with me every weekend. Dad does most of the cowboy church at our rodeos.”
Between rodeos, Faith practices as often as the weather permits, riding every day in the summer and practicing her roping and goat tying every other day. “I run barrels and poles on a little dun named Johnny. He’s that rock solid, old faithful I can always go back to. He has me sitting second in the barrels right now,” Faith describes. “I tie goats and rope off a little black mare named Flash. I just got her this past summer and she’s taken me to that next level in my competition.”
A junior at Kiowa High School, Faith is particularly enjoying calculus this year. “I love my teacher!” she says. She also plays basketball on her school’s team, the Kiowa Indians. In her very spare time, Faith goes to youth group on Wednesday and Sunday nights, and grabs any bit of time she can with her friends.
Faith’s main goal, however, is the upcoming season in the CSHSRA. “I want to be able to reach people and be that encourager that people feel they can come and talk to whether it’s a good day or a bad day,” Faith explains. “I want to be that role model, especially for the younger age group. As far as rodeo, I want to do well in state championships and make it to Nationals again. Everything comes in God’s timing!”
