Visit Fort Worth
The Fort Worth Herd
The Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday approved $400,000 in funding to enhance the Fort Worth Herd's equestrian facilities in the Stockyards, ensuring the welfare of the iconic Herd’s horses and livestock.
The upgrades will serve as a stopgap until new facilities are developed during the second phase of Stockyards improvements. This public-private partnership, facilitated through an amended contract with Visit Fort Worth, underscores the city’s continued commitment to preserving its western heritage.
The Fort Worth Herd, created in 1999, is the only organization in the world that conducts a twice-daily longhorn cattle drive. Managed by Visit Fort Worth and funded through the city’s Culture and Tourism Fund, the Herd celebrates Fort Worth’s storied history as “Cowtown.”
Trail boss and Herd director Kristin Jaworski, who has been with the organization for 22 years, says the operation runs 17 longhorn steers twice daily — a number symbolizing each decade of Fort Worth’s existence. Additionally, 12 to 15 horses accompany the longhorns during each drive.
“As you can imagine, running at this same consistency daily with all of the livestock involved can be pricey to maintain,” Jaworski said in a 2023 interview.
The Herd’s team includes 20–22 employees, from barn attendants to drovers and livestock directors, all funded by the city’s Culture and Tourism Fund.
“It truly takes a big team to put on a seven-day-a-week program,” Jaworski said.
The city’s $400,000 allocation will be used to enhance horse barn facilities at 2500 N. Houston St. Planned improvements include:
- Covered horse stalls
- An operations trailer
- Security cameras
- Horse therapeutic equipment
- A wash rack
Funding for these projects will come from the city’s share of profits generated by Cowtown Coliseum operations.
Additionally, Friends of the Fort Worth Herd, a nonprofit partner, will contribute $177,200 to improve livestock facilities at 129 E. Exchange St, according to the city's website.
This funding will cover:
- Onsite covered horse stalls
- Ventilation upgrades
- Repairs to fences, gates, and holding areas
The Fort Worth Herd’s cattle drives are a cornerstone of local tourism, consistently ranked as the city’s top attraction and one of the most visited in Texas.
With its twice-daily nod to Fort Worth’s western roots, the Herd not only honors the past but continues to draw global attention to the Stockyards, solidifying its place as a cultural and historical treasure.
