Tom was born June 30, 1936, to Tom and Gladys Bradbury, who farmed and ranched near Littleton, Colorado.  While younger, Tom showed steers and clowned at rodeos in high school.  He spent many a long day working the family’s South Ranch near Byers, Colorado.

He graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in farm and ranch management.  While at CSU, he met and married his wife, Margaret.  They were married 60 years.  On their honeymoon, they attended a Quarter Horse sale in Brush, Colorado, which fueled their lifelong passion for Quarter Horses.  In 1958, they founded Bradbury Land and Cattle Company.  The BLC continues to produce some of the country’s best red-angus cattle and running quarter horses, along with significant irrigated corn and hay production.

Tom was a well-known Colorado rancher, horseman and businessman.  Tom was inducted in the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2015, proudly served on the National Western Stock Show Executive Board for over a decade, was a CSU Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, and was inducted to the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2016.

He served on various Boards, both locally and nationally, for over 50 years.  He was compassionate towards youth and tried to encourage them to better themselves.  Just as he aimed for continuous improvement on his ranches and his businesses, he strived to make his local community and the ag world better.