On the road she competed in the late 1970s and 1980s in criteriums and in local races in the Netherlands and was very good for her age. When she was sixteen years old she was part of the Dutch National selection. She won in Clinge on 16 July 1979 her third victory of the season by beating among others the World Champion Beate Habetz. She also won the Profronde van Almelo that year. Kauffman was aiming for a spot at the 1979 UCI Road World Championships. The years later she won several races in the Netherlands, finished third in the Parel van de Veluwe in 1985 and finished also third the same year in the Profronde van Oostvoorne.