Cutting Event Closes New York Fashion Week

Amanda Uechi Ronan, , , Comments Off on Cutting Event Closes New York Fashion Week
Horse Couture is here to stay.

New York Fashion Week began in 1943, driven by American designers who couldn’t travel to Paris to attend French fashion shows during World War II. It’s now a biannual event held in Bryant Park featuring a wide range of designers. And while this year’s event featured 70s style hair, pink lips, and lavender under eye shadow, the real highlight of the week was all about denim, belt buckles, and a little dirt in the skirt.

By now it’s well known that Bella Hadid has fallen head over jangly spurs for Adan Banuelos, professional cutting horse trainer. The celebrity recently moved to Fort Worth to be with her beau, competes frequently in north Texas cutting events, and is currently sitting 54th in the NCHA standings for Amateur Rider of the Year.

But it wasn’t Bella that wowed the crowd this time around, it was Banuelos with a fantastic bridleless exhibition.

 

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Banuelos was the number one NCHA Leading Open Rider in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022 as well as an NCHA Open Futurity Champion and NCHA Riders Hall of Fame Inductee.

The event, “Window to the West,” was organized by Teton Ridge and included a screening of “Horse Sense,” the first film in a six-part series highlighting athletes, musicians, and artists who embody the spirit of the American west.

 

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“Horse Sense” tells the life story of 35-year-old Banuelos, who was born to ride horses. His father is also an NCHA Hall of Famer and his mother reportedly rode while pregnant with him through her seventh month.

“Without a doubt, there was never anything else that I was going to do,” Banuelos told W at the event.

 

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He also detailed his meet cute with Hadid.

“If it wasn’t for horses, I’d have never met the love of my life,” Banuelos said. “We met at a horse show. I was just a lucky guy that said hi. I didn’t really know who I was saying hi to. I just knew, she’s gorgeous. And if I would’ve known, I probably would’ve stuttered my way right out it.”

The Fashion Week event was held on Gansevoort Street in downtown Manhattan with a mechanical black flag in place of a real-life cow. The screening of “Horse Sense” was projected on the side of a trailer with Hadid and Banuelos seated in camping chairs on the front row.


And this is just one woman’s limited opinion, but I am loving this style of riding being featured so prominently in the media. Going bridleless in what equates to a midnight rave is certainly a strong contrast to the blue tongue Olympic scandal.

Maybe it’s time for a few other disciplines to cowboy up.

Go riding.

Amanda Uechi Ronan is an author, equestrian, and wanna be race car driver. Follow her on Instagram @amanda_uechi_ronan.