Riding the Runway Brings a Luxury Horseback Fashion Show to the Fort Worth Stockyards
Chic Western Brands, Rodeo Champions, Longhorns, and a Five-Course Dinner Take Center Stage
By Edward Brown //
East Exchange Avenue, flanked by the historic Cowtown Coliseum to the north and luxury Western fashion retailers to the south, was recently given the royal treatment as part of Fort Worth’s Riding the Runway. The street’s well-worn bricks were elevated by long rows of dining tables decorated with greenery and candles.
A red carpet wound down the center, awaiting models and their escorts. As guests sipped cocktails and wine, the first dishes from the five-course dinner by Reata Restaurant arrived. The sun set just as fashion model Georgia Faith Hill rode out, sporting Double D Ranch’s Melanie Jacket. Wrangler NFR qualifier Makenzie Mayes followed, wearing another look from Double D’s Silver Label collection.
What followed that evening was a succession of stunning Western fashions and accessories from Turquoise & Co., American Hat Company, Grissom’s Jewelers, and other top brands. Riding the Runway founder Lyndsie Montgomery tells PaperCity that her not-so-humble goal for the event was to highlight the Fort Worth Stockyards as the “fashion mecca” of the Western industry.
“I was very thrilled with the brands who agreed to participate,” she says. “I don’t know of any other fashion show that showcases so many luxury brands in more unique ways than our horseback fashion show.”
From a Weatherford Dream to the Fort Worth Stockyards
Montgomery tells us an unexpected venue cancellation threatened to derail a VIP event she was organizing for Downtown Weatherford’s Wine & Whiskey Walk in October 2025, which led to Riding the Runway. Determined to keep the event on the calendar, Montgomery, then executive director of Downtown Weatherford, Inc., approached luxury handbag brand Heritage Brand about staging a fashion show. It was around that time, she says, that a dream inspired her to place fashion models on horseback.
“I did extensive research and couldn’t find anyone who had done that before,” she says. “There was no template for how we would pull this off. Heritage Brand jumped right in with me, and it turned out to be a phenomenal event for Weatherford. Bringing the event back to Weatherford didn’t pan out logistically, so I pitched the idea to the Stockyards, and they said, ‘Yes, please.’ ”
Holiday Decor
For the Fort Worth production, Montgomery expanded the concept by adding horseback escorts and recruiting accomplished rodeo competitors and cutting horse champions, including Lindy Burch, Matt Gaines, and Makenzie Mayes. A spokesperson for the Stockyards tells us that Riding the Runway will be integrated into Fashion Week Stockyards Style next year.
“We are currently working on expanding Fashion Week Stockyards Style into a weeklong celebration next year, featuring two signature fashion shows: our traditional runway show and the horseback fashion show,” the spokesperson says. “The expanded format will allow us to further showcase Western fashion, creativity, and the unique spirit of the Stockyards while elevating the overall experience.”
Setting the Stage for an Even Bigger Fashion Week Stockyards Style in 2027
Riding the Runway featured five themed segments, centered on collections from Double D Ranch, Wrangler, Fincher’s White Front, and Turquoise & Co. The evening brought together championship equestrians, professional rodeo competitors, and Western fashion influencers, including North Texas-based Michelle Serna, known to her social media followers as @brokeasshorsegirl, and Hunter Minaj.
One standout moment saw Oklahoma State University Cowgirl Equestrian associate head coach Laura Brainard riding Gunner, a longhorn provided by Stockyards Stables. Former WPRA president and rodeo broadcaster Jymmy Kay Cox appeared aboard the famous palomino Itsa Dun Chic, while professional breakaway roper Tiffany Schieck rode her own horse, Dee, for Wrangler.
“These ladies and gentlemen are very seldom on a red carpet, and they’re never showcasing top Western fashion,” Montgomery says. “We were excited to pull all of the pieces and parts together for it to be an exquisite event.”
The final attraction to travel down the red carpet was a historic chuck wagon dating to 1860. Now owned by Rusty and Tammy Addison of Lipan and driven by Mike and Cindi Stein, the wagon was a fitting tribute to a standout evening celebrating Western heritage and fashion.
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