When it comes to handy women, Lana Stromberger and her friends have few rivals. Together, these women (Dusty Henry, Lana Stromberger, Lora Andersen, Megan Vosburg, and Rebbeca Corfield) make up the No Bull Breeding Services Team. As versatile as the sport demands, these cowgirls compete in both the Women’s Ranch Rodeo Association (WRRA) and the Western States Ranch Rodeo Association (WSRRA) competitions. Although each woman has their own special aspect of the competition in which they excel, their talents blend, and their heightened skills allow them to cover each other across tasks whether it’s roping, mugging, or dragging calves.
Although she has always enjoyed roping, Lana’s favorite part of the ranch lifestyle is branding season, and she jokingly refers to it as “the most wonderful time of the year. ” She describes the feeling of dragging calves, taking care of them, and then kicking them out onto grass while the ranchers breathe a sigh of relief. Could there be anything better?
Adding to the pleasure of the process both in and out of the arena is the ability to ride mounts that trace back to her father Jerry Armstrong’s old stud-horse, keeping the family heritage alive. While Lana is currently riding a talented young horse named Punch, she and her father frequently swap young horses to expose them to different environments and people. Punch is an example of their horsemanship at work, as he was purchased as a weanling with lines tracing back to her father’s stock. Now as a five-year-old, his talents are blossoming even in high-pressure situations.
These bonds of family and friendship connect all aspects of Stromberger’s life. It was her dad who taught her how to ride and who introduced her to roping. Lana would spend the summers riding and working as a hand taking care of yearlings on grass. She would doctor and rope, and later progressed to breakaway and heading in team roping competitions. Involvement with 4-H and more time with family and friends further developed her skills, and yet like most folks with strong passion, she credits a horse as one of her most profound teachers.
This special horse went by the name of Stewart. Stewart had the talent that took her to the next level in local competitions. They started winning, and each time progressing a little more in their skills. He taught her how to really understand and feel a horse and was just that unique mount who could build confidence and truly teach someone how to ride. Sadly, Lana and Stewart only had two years together before he passed away. But like all the good ones, he is never forgotten.
In Lana’s life today, she is surrounded by the ranch, the feedlot, and the lifestyle that she grew up loving; a passion she now shares with her husband in their home in Champion, Nebraska. Her skill and appreciation for the western way of life are recognizable, as is her ability to find beauty every day. She loves to take pictures and share with others what a day with horses, cattle, and the simple aspects of life looks like. Her pictures display how hard work can be glorious, or beautifully awful, and how generational hobbies can be kept alive. The latter is especially true as Stromberger’s mother Jean also loves photography and passed this interest on to her daughter.
As if her skills on horseback don’t speak for themselves, the other indication that she is walking a path well suited for her is that of the way in which she has always found peace in horses. She remembers even in childhood, if you were having a bad day, you’d go jump on your horse–it was and continues to be a way of living alongside these magnificent creatures.
Lana is a cowgirl who puts her horse first and appreciates the partnership ranch work requires. Not to mention the fun some moments can bring—like her favorite time of year. So if you’re at a branding and see someone grinning like Christmas morning, it just might be Lana Stromberger.
Lana’s motto: “Horses. The only animal that will teach you more about yourself than about them.”
