Cody and Noami Loomis, producer of the Double A Feeds Ranch and Hubbard Ranch Bronc Riding in Bridgeport, Neb. - Steph’s Photography

Event Spotlight: Double A Feeds Ranch Rodeo & Hubbard Feeds Ranch Bronc Riding

The Double A Feeds Ranch Rodeo and Hubbard Riding keeps growing, yet continues to be rooted in family and tradition.
When Naomi Loomis, producer of the Double A Feeds Ranch Rodeo and Hubbard Ranch Bronc Riding in Bridgeport, Nebraska, looks into the arena and see horseback cowboys and cowgirl contestants removing their hats and bowing their heads in prayer before the rodeo, she feels pride for the values of ranch rodeo and ranching lifestyle that she leads.
Naomi and her husband, Cody, have ranched on their own place in the Sandhills of Nebraska for their entire 17 years of marriage. When Cody’s father was diagnosed with cancer and had to move to town, Cody, Naomi and their four children moved to the ranch homestead to run all of the family operation. “We have about 300 mother cows, and have a herd of Quarter Horses,” Naomi says, “Our children (Cade, Kason, and twins, Ryder and Reata) are very involved in our operation.”
Besides being a rancher, wife, mother and a blogger, Naomi is also the manager of Double A Feeds in Bridgeport and is very active in her community. She is president of the Morrill Count Cattlemen, president of the Morrill County Fair broad, member of the local FFA advisory committee, a Western States Ranch Rodeo Association Representative and a ranch rodeo/ranch bronc riding producers since 2007.
“I’d been putting on ranch ropings for three years at our local fair and had a lot of cowboys request that I put on a ranch rodeo and ranch bronc riding,” she recalls. “I had read an article in Working Ranch Magazine featuring the WSRRA and after talking to (WSRRA President and founder) Marc Page, I decided to try to.”
The Double A Feeds Ranch Rodeo and Hubbard Ranch Bronc Riding was the first WSRRA sanctioned ranch rodeo in Nebraska, and the rodeo has sent a qualified team each year since 2010 to the WSRRA National Finals, held each fall in Winnemucca, Nevada. This year the Hubbard Ranch Bronc Riding is named one of the 24, 8 Seconds Tour Stops, boasting a minimum of $2000 added money and double points.
“I’m excited and honored about (our rodeo) being a Tour Stop,” she says. “I think that being a Tour Stop adds a wide range of cowboys from different states. I know that the WSRRA is growing in leaps and bounds, and I think that having Tour Stops with added money and added points adds another level to the association.”
The Double A Feeds Ranch Rodeo, will be held July 25 at the Morrill County Fairgrounds in Bridgeport, draws contestants from Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming to compete in ranch bronc riding and team events such as trailer loading, team roping, team doctoring and team sorting. This year, the event will also have 5 women’s ranch rodeo teams.  Tyrell Oliverious will furnish the cattle for the event and Bad Medicine Rodeo Company will bring the broncs.
Along with producing the Double A Feeds Ranch Rodeo and Hubbard Bronc Riding, Naomi is also producing the Sidney WSRRA Ranch Rodeo and WSRRA Ranch Bronc Riding in Sidney, Nebraska. This event will also draw contestants from neighboring states and will be held July 24 at the Cheyenne County Fairgrounds in Sidney.
Sponsors, such as Bunkhouse Trailer Sales, Wolf Auto, and Hubbard Feeds, are key to the success of the ranch rodeos, as are all the volunteers.  With the help of her crew-which includes her husband, and kids, four judges, an announcer-Darrell Kraupie, three timers, three cattle sorters, six flag carriers and a camera women- Naomi aims to produce family-friendly events where everyone stays safe, and has a good time.  “It takes more than one person to run a successful ranch rodeo,” she says. “I am thankful for my family and friends who help me.”
For more information on the Double A Feeds Ranch Rodeo and Hubbard Ranch Bronc Riding, contact Naomi at 308-760-3102 or email at doubleafeeds@yahoo.com.  Also be sure to check out Naomi’s ranch-life blog, “From the Corner of the Circle L,” at fromthecornerofthecirclel.blogspot.com.