Killing It At Kimes with Emily Bomgardner
Media and marketing can often go together, and many times a marketing manager handles media. Such is the case for professional Emily Bomgardner, marketing coordinator for Kimes Ranch Jeans. Her duties are wide-ranging, from content creation to social media management to email marketing to tradeshow and event planning. With her background in the horse industry, she’s leveraged her experiences into a job she loves. Her dedication to her work and the Western industry was one of the reasons Cowgirl magazine included her in their “30 Under 30” class this year. The California native recently moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, to be closer to family and work. Here is her story!
Freelance Remuda: First, tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from & where do you live now? We’d also like to know about your educational experience.
Emily Bomgardner: I am originally from Newcastle, California, which is roughly an hour north of Sacramento. My education was quite the adventure, but I would not change a moment of it! I started college while I was in high school; my parents always pushed me to work hard for my future, so I started taking evening classes while in my junior year of high school. I transferred up to Feather River College in Quincy, California—[performance horse trainer] Nick Dowers went to this same school! I loved when he would come and teach or just hang out, he was someone I admired from the first time I met him. I only spent a semester here as this California kid did not know how to handle homesickness or the snow, the snow really did me in. (Which you’ll see why that is comical here at the end of this!)
I moved home, started working full time in the veterinary industry and continued going to the local community college. I was also working for horse trainers during this time, and one of their assistants I was close with turned me on to The University of Findlay. I transferred mid-year in the 2012-2013 school year, and it was one of the best things I ever did. If you don’t know The University of Findlay, you’re missing out. It’s every horse girl’s dream, every day I got to ride horses. I got to learn from legends like Clark Bradley, Cindy Moorehead, Steve Brown, Meri Sheffler, Art O’Brien, Mark Smith, and that’s just to name a few. I mean how many college kids can say that they got help from the one and only Shawn Flarida on turning a horse around?! I bet not many.
My college experience is not one that I would call typical, most of my classes were at the farm since most of my general education credits were completed. I also chose this college because there were no out-of-state fees and I could triple major for not much more than a single major would cost. I left UF with an associate degree in Western equestrian studies, a bachelor’s in business management and Animal Science. I also completed my Master of Business Administration program through Findlay in 2018. I hope you can understand why me moving home from Quincy is comical, because 1 ½ years later I moved to the midwest and experienced tornados, blizzards, being snowed-in… it was wild!
FR: Kimes is such an invested brand in the Western horse world. How did you get started with the company?
EB: This is one of my favorite stories because it was honestly a complete fluke. I had moved home from my first horse training job after college and was working overnights in a veterinary ER. I thought life after college would be much different, instead, I was broke, living with my parents and working a job that I loved but didn’t pay the bills. I was sitting at a computer scrolling Facebook one night (yes, I was a bad employee), and saw the advertisement for a content writer for Kimes Ranch Jeans. I applied, had a quick interview with Paige Morgan and Lindsay Perraton, and I was hired. I look back at what I wrote for them in 2015 and wondered why they ever let me stay…But I wrote content for them for about a year, started doing some social media customer service type things, but wanted to do more.
At that time the Reno Snaffle Bit [Futurity] used to be literally in my backyard, I knew Kimes had booths at horse shows and wanted to do more with Kimes. They didn’t have a booth at Snaffle Bit, but they were looking for people to work The Congress, I got the job and booked my flights to Ohio within 10 days of reaching out about working the Snaffle Bit. I left in early October thinking this would just be for 30 days, and I stayed on the road until after the National Finals Rodeo in December. I got to do so many things, see so many states and met so many people, many that I still call dear friends.
From there I just kept saying yes to whatever job or project they threw my way, I was hungry to learn, I loved the brand, I loved the people, and I just never left. In 2021, I left the veterinary field and joined Kimes Ranch full \-time and it’s one of the best things I have ever done.
FR: What do you enjoy the most about your job?
EB: One of my favorite parts about working for Kimes is that everyone does a little bit of everything, as we grow that changes a little but not really. When we say we are a family, it’s not just something we say, it’s something we live by. I work side-by-side with these humans all day, and still love going out with them at night and hanging out with them on weekends. Matt and Amanda Kimes [the owners] are letting my horse live in their barn so she can be close to work for me (and when I say close, I mean I can see her from the office close).
I know my work situation is unique, they kept me around part-time for 6 years, but I was always a part of the family and that is honestly one of the reasons my wife and I chose to move to Arizona, because we already had a family out here that we knew we could count on.
FR: I know you own a horse. What part of the industry are you involved in and please tell us about your horse!
EB: I currently own and ride Long Legs N Wranglers, “Lou,” a 2016 Quarter Horse mare who is my heart and soul. I giggled during the “30 Under 30” gala when master of ceremonies Kadee Coffman called me out for being a “horse girl” because that is me. I love horses, I love riding them, I love showing them, I love watching horse shows, I love being around them, I love feeding, I love cleaning stalls…I literally am that adult horse girl who will sit in Fort Worth and pet the carriage horses rather than shop.
Anyhow, back to Lou, she is a reining-bred mare that I am hoping to show this season in the AQHA ranch riding, versatility ranch horse and maybe some reining classes. Sarah Kennedy introduced me to and helped me ride my first cow horse, and I AM HOOKED. Even though Lou will never be a great cow horse, I ride her with much of the same principles and training methods that cow horses are ridden with. I understand cow horses more than I have ever understood any of the disciplines I have tried and trust me, I have tried a lot over the years! My goal is to get down the fence before I am 40 and keep going down the fence till, I die.
FR: Growing up on a hobby farm, was it important for you to be involved in the agriculture/Western lifestyle?
EB: Growing up on our hobby farm taught me more about life, than any school ever did. I don’t think I realized the importance back then, but now? Yes, it was vital to who I am today. We learned early on about work ethic, doing a good job, taking care of the animals and tools around you, and that life is tough, but we’re tougher. I think my animals live better lives than most humans because of my youth, I don’t just see them as tools, or pets, but they’re a part of my family and they make that life fuller.
I think when you grow up filling holes you dug in the pasture with water and calling it a swimming pool, it makes you appreciate life a little differently than someone who could go to a local pool. We lived too far out of the city to have access to a pool, so we made it work. That statement, we made it work, it’s something I live by. Let’s be real, none of us could have imagined life as it is today, so you make it work.
FB: Most communication or marketing majors or recent graduates may not be looking at a fashion label as a potential employer. Tell me how have you been involved in communication efforts for marketing and how you keep the brand focused on the horse industry.
EB: When Kimes Ranch started all we had was the horse industry, we always talk about them being our roots and we never want to forget our roots. As the western world turns more towards fashion over functionality, we never forget our roots. Our marketing was always more fashion-forward than most western brands, but again, we never forget our roots.
When we are curating our content, we always try to make sure we blend things. By that I mean, blending our roots, with fashion. Blending the fashion the casual western consumer wants, with the functionality that the buckaroos who spend 99% of their lives in a saddle, need.
I can’t say I fully answered the question, but I can probably blame that on 7 years of working under Lindsay Perraton, who always is looking forward but never forgetting our roots.
FR: As a recent “30 Under 30” honoree from Cowgirl Magazine, how have you seen younger women step into prominent roles in today’s equine and/or communications industry?
EB: If I had to put it in a word, I would say they are empowered. They have a platform, whether that be through the job they hold, a social media platform, or even just a following of like-minded individuals. This platform gives them the power to do things that matter to them, and that’s important to the industry.
When I applied for the 30 Under 30, I never thought I’d get it. They have some impressive women on their alumni roster, and I didn’t feel like I measured up. But a good friend, Katherine Merck, empowered me to apply and helped me through the process and look where I am! I think that is the biggest change I see happening, is that our generation is empowering younger generations to do big things.
FR: How do you see marketing and communications in the Western industry, especially, changing focus as more non-agriculture centered people are becoming aware of the brands/lifestyle through TV shows like “Yellowstone?”
EB: I think this really depends on the brand. For example, Kimes has been very visible on “Yellowstone,” and it has broadened our brand awareness with the non-agriculture centered consumer. But with that comes a duty to be aware of the consumer and continue education on the western way of life. Never forget your roots.
FR: What’s your advice to job seekers looking to work in the Western or horse industry but not be a horse trainer?
EB: Network, network, network. Also, apply for the random content creator job, you might just end up growing with that brand. I would say start reaching out to brands, even if they’re not hiring, go to events and introduce yourself, just put yourself out there. Most brands don’t hire in the most traditional ways, and that is why I think that networking and putting yourself out there is the best way!
FR: Our belief is that if we help others in the equine media industry, we will all rise. Are your personal motto and how do you bring that to your job?
EB: I love that motto so much! I would have to say mine is two parts. The first is to just be there. Show up for your family, your friends, your coworkers, that one gal who was mean to you… just be there, show up for them and the world will be a better place. I think that being the bigger person and showing kindness is so needed in today’s world, and that sometimes the gal that was mean to you? Was just having a terrible day, and your kindness and presence might be what they needed to realize that it’s not so bad and it will get better. When I say be there, I mean be there, be the person your friends and coworkers can count on to get the job done and do what you say.
The second part is actually a quote that I have tattooed on me, by Bukowski and that is “find what you love, and let it kill you.” This speaks to finding a job or a hobby, or in my case, both, that you love, and throwing yourself into them.
I take both mottos and I bring my passion and grit, and I show the heck up for myself and those around me. I have always led by example, and feel that if I am not holding myself to the same standards that I am asking others to meet, then what kind of human am I?
