Like every other kid raised in Fort Worth, I’ve seen The Herd a handful of times over the years. And like many other Fort Worthians, I’m guilty of becoming a little jaded about the whole affair. What’s so great about watching some cattle walk down a street? Twice a day? Last week, I went to the Stockyards for a closer look.
By the time I parked at the Stockyards and walked over to East Exchange Avenue, it was 11:15, just 15 minutes before cattle-drive time. I was cutting it close, as hundreds of people were already lining the blocks, pressing against the barricades. As the cowboys — drovers, to be exact — walked down the street, they chatted up the crowd and stopped for photos with big-eyed little kids.
A few minutes before the appointed time, a man got on a microphone and regaled us with a basic rundown of the Stockyards, an outpost along the Chisholm Trail. We were assured that all the drovers here today wore outfits and used gear authentic to the 1800s. More staff walked by to urge us to move farther off the street, and then The Herd appeared. As the 17 longhorns ambled by, they looked placid enough, but standing so close, I became acutely aware of just how big they are and of just how imposing and sharp those horns are. The entire drive lasts less than 10 minutes, but as I watched these majestic creatures retreat, I felt awe, and a big scoop of good ol’ Texas pride crept back into my heart.
Read about how some of the inhabitants of the Fort Worth Zoo are great at quite a few things in our Best Of…Zoo Animals! feature article.
Photo by Madison Simmons.
Photo by Madison Simmons.
Photo by Madison Simmons.
Photo by Madison Simmons.
Read about how some of the inhabitants of the Fort Worth Zoo are great at quite a few things in our Best Of…Zoo Animals! feature article.
