One of the key components of Elson’s run of luck over the last 12 months or so is his Yandina Creek property.
As far as greyhound homes go, it could not get much better for the animals with plenty of open space to roam around and fresh air just around the corner from Coolum Beach.
Elson cannot remember the last time he actually purchased a greyhound because of his impressive Yandina Creek kennel.
From berth to race day, the Elson family and team do it all their home.
Travis has his wife Hope chip in and help with the dogs, as does their children, and staff.
They have the process down pat, breeding their own dogs, whelping them, eventually breaking them in and then getting them chasing.
They have their own bull ring and straight track on the property before eventually taking them to Albion Park, the track Elson calls his home track, as they near their first ever race start.
“We do most of it from home in about 18 months,” he said.
“That is the most satisfying bit, break them in, everything else, and then race them.
“And, then to get the winners, it is a good buzz.
“It makes it even more special; we have put the hard yards in to watch them grow from being babies.
“What they can turn into, it’s quite amazing.”
With 122 winners under his belt last year, Elson thinks he has found the magic touch in the breeding game.
Sire Magic Sprite is a line that has just clicked with his kennel.
“He has been phenomenal for us and to our bitches,” he said.
“We have had a lot of winners from the Magic Sprite line.
“We did our homework with our breeding and found out Magic Sprite does well with our bitch line.
“He puts a lot of chase in our line, it is a big help, we have had a lot of success with good box speed and chasers.”
He is hopeful of cracking the ton of winners again in 2021 and potentially go bigger and better than 122 last year.
“Last year was a good year, the best year I have ever had,” he said.
“We have had a really good lot of dogs come through at the right time.”
One of Elson’s biggest career achievements was back in 2019 when his greyhound Silver Stunner represented Queensland in the Group 1 Nationals Finals in Perth.
Silver Stunner would run fourth on the big stage.
Outside of the dogs, the Elson’s run Coolum Turf – a turf farm on the Sunshine Coast, which doubles as perfect green grass for their young, race and retired dogs.
Before becoming a leading greyhound trainer in Queensland, Travis was a competitive kick boxer for around 15 years and fought internationally.