Ariat

Last updated
Ariat International, Inc.
Company type Private
Industry Sportswear
Founded1993
FounderBeth Cross, Pam Parker
Headquarters Union City, California, United States
Area served
Worldwide
Products Riding boots
Cowboy boots
Work boots
Website www.ariat.com

Ariat is an American footwear, apparel and accessories brand for equestrian sports, work industries and other outdoor activities, located in Union City, California. Ariat was launched by Beth Cross and Pam Parker in 1993. It has since become a popular brand in performance footwear for English and Western horseback riding. As of 2023, Ariat is the largest equestrian sports brand in the world.

Contents

History

Ariat was founded in 1993 by Stanford Business School classmates Beth Cross and Pam Parker. [1] While working for Bain & Company and consulting to Reebok, the co-founders saw an opportunity to apply athletic shoe technology to English and Western riding boots. They named their new company after Secretariat, the famous Triple Crown champion racehorse in honor of his "huge heart and competitive spirit." [2] The same year it was founded, Ariat released its first two boot styles, then went on to hire a number of equestrians and horse enthusiasts. [3] In the years following the company's launch, it expanded into new performance western and English apparel, as well as workwear. [4] The company also expanded its distribution in the U.S., Europe, Australia, Mexico, and Japan. [5]

In 2009, Ariat became the official boot sponsor of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). [6] In 2015, Ariat signed a sponsorship deal with the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI). [7] In 2017, Ariat joined partners with the non-profit Jared Allen's Homes For Wounded Warriors, an organization which builds homes for injured war veterans. [8]

In 2018, Ariat announced that they were continuing their partnership with the US Equestrian Federation (USEF), [5] and Cross was awarded "Entrepreneur of the Year" in the Consumer Driven category by Ernst & Young. [1] As of 2020, Ariat is reportedly the largest equestrian footwear and apparel company in the world. [9]

Product design

Ariat manufactures boots in the United States, Mexico, Asia and Europe. [10] Co-founder Beth Cross worked with biomechanical research groups and testing labs in the making of Ariat's boots, [11] which are designed to be durable in outdoor environments, with patented Duratread outsoles, [12] and patented Advanced Torque Stability technology, (ATS), a multi-layered lightweight sole with a gel-cushioned footbed and a heel stabilizer to provide more support while riding. [13] In the late 1990s they introduced Hexcel cushioning technology for shock absorption while riding and on the ground, and introduced Cobalt technology in the early 2000s for further cushioning support. [14]

In 2006, the firm ventured into making western apparel, including woven shirts, tops and outdoor clothing for men and women. [14] The clothing incorporates flame-resistant technology, which came into demand from the oil workers of Colorado. [15] In 2018, Ariat released their waterproof FR HiVis H2O Proof Jacket. [16] Their waterproof Workhog H2O Boots use a U-turn entry system to make them easier to put on. [17]

Sponsorship

Ariat is the official footwear sponsor of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), and the title sponsor of the Ariat World Series of Team Roping (WSTR), the largest adult community of roping athletes. [18]

Ariat was featured in the 2015 movie The Longest Ride , a Nicholas Sparks film about a PBR athlete who is making his way back in bull riding after a life-threatening injury. [19]

Since 2022, Ariat has been the primary sponsor of the Texas Rattlers of the PBR Team Series; held every summer through autumn in the United States. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boot</span> Type of footwear extending above the ankle joint

A boot is a type of footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf. Some boots extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece. Traditionally made of leather or rubber, modern boots are made from a variety of materials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wellington boot</span> Type of waterproof boot

The Wellington boot, often shortened to welly and also known as the gumboot, is a type of waterproof boot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dr. Martens</span> Footwear brand

Dr. Martens also known as Doc Martens, Docs, or DMs, is a footwear and clothing brand, headquartered in Wollaston, Northamptonshire. Although famous for its footwear, the company also makes a range of accessories including clothing and bags. The footwear is distinguished by its air-cushioned sole, upper shape, welted construction, and yellow stitching. The Dr Martens' design studio is in Camden Town, London, England. The company manufactures in the UK, China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timberland (company)</span> American clothing and footwear company

Timberland LLC is an American manufacturer and retailer of outdoor footwear and apparel owned by VF Corporation. The company also sells accessories including watches, eyewear, and leather goods. Timberland's corporate headquarters are located in Stratham, New Hampshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian work boot</span> Style of work boot

An Australian work boot is a style of work shoe, typically constructed with a leather upper bound together with elastic sides and pull tabs on the front and back of the boot. The shoe lacks a tongue, and laces, and often contains a steel toe cap for occupational health and safety reasons. When the shoe contains a steel cap they are often known as "safety boots" or "steel toe boots". The boots generally lack an inner lining. The sole is generally polyurethane and the leather uppers are treated to be resistant to hot water, fats and mild alkaline and acid solutions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engineer boot</span> Leather work-boots

Engineer boots, also known as engineer's boots or engineering boots, are an American type of traditional leather work-boots. Their lace-less, rugged construction made them popular among motorcycle riders. Originally developed in the 1930s for firemen working on steam locomotives, the boots gained substantial popularity in the post–World War II era during a growing motorcycling culture. They became popular symbols of teenage rebellion in the 1950s and a common component of greaser wear. They were later adopted by skinheads and punks in the 1970s. By the 2010s, engineer boots were being popularly worn for fashion purposes, especially by non-traditional customers such as women, young urban professionals, and hipsters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jodhpurs</span> Full-hipped riding trousers

Jodhpurs, in their modern form, are tight-fitting trousers to the ankle, where they end in a snug cuff, and are worn primarily for horse riding. The term is also used as slang for a type of short riding boot, also called a paddock boot or a jodhpur boot, because they are worn with jodhpurs. According to Tara Mayer, "Jodhpurs … exemplify the material and cultural exchanges between Britain and its Indian colony in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dubarry of Ireland</span>

Dubarry of Ireland is an Irish-owned company producing footwear, clothing, leather goods and accessories. Established in 1937, Dubarry markets a range of sailing and country footwear and clothing for both women and men. This includes waterproof, Gore-Tex-lined performance sailing boots and leather deck shoes. In addition to its range of country lifestyle boots, Dubarry also has an extensive range of outerwear, knits and shirting in a wide variety of materials from tweed to Alpaca wool. The headquarters of the company is at Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland. Over the years Dubarry has expanded its international sourcing network and now works closely with a select group of specialised production partners worldwide.

Double-H Boots manufactures western footwear. It is owned by H.H. Brown, a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.

Larry Mahan was an American professional rodeo cowboy. He won six all-around world championships and two bull riding world championships in the Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit at the National Finals Rodeo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Professional Bull Riders</span> International professional bull riding organization

The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) is an international professional bull riding organization headquartered in Pueblo, Colorado, United States. It is the largest bull riding league in the world, sanctioning hundreds of events every year in the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Australia. Over 800 bull riders from said countries, as well as others hold PBR memberships.

Merrell is an American manufacturing company of footwear products. It was founded by Clark Matis, Randy Merrell, and John Schweizer in 1981 as a maker of high-performance hiking boots. Since 1997, the company has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Wolverine World Wide. Products currently commercialized by Merrell include hiking boots, athletic shoes, sandals, jackets, knit caps, gloves, t-shirts, hoodies, shorts, and socks. Other accessories include backpacks, stuff sacks, and bags.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jodhpur boot</span> Type of riding boot

The Jodhpur boot is an ankle boot or Chelsea boot designed as a riding boot with a rounded toe and a low heel. They originally fastened with a strap and buckle, but today the term also includes designs with straps that do not wrap entirely around the ankle and the elastic-sided design without a strap also known as Chelsea boots. A closely related riding boot design is called a paddock boot, particularly if modified to have a lace-up front. It is named after Jodhpur, the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Boots</span>

Justin Boots is an American western and equestrian footwear brand. It is a division of Justin Brands, Inc., itself a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.

Luke Snyder is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding, and competed in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. He was the 2001 PBR Rookie of the Year, and the 2001 PBR World Finals event champion. Since 2022, he has been the co-head coach of the Missouri Thunder during the PBR Team Series season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cowboy boot</span> High-heeled leather riding boot

Cowboy boots are a specific style of riding boot, historically worn by cowboys. They have a high heel that is traditionally made of stacked leather, rounded to pointed toe, high shaft, and, traditionally, no lacing. Cowboy boots are normally made from cowhide leather, which may be decoratively hand-tooled, but are also sometimes made from "exotic" skins like alligator, snake, ostrich, lizard, eel, elephant, stingray, elk, buffalo, and so on.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boyd Martin</span> American equestrian

Boyd Martin is an American equestrian competing in the discipline of eventing. He has participated in three consecutive Summer Olympic Games and is a two-time Pan American Games team gold medalist and individual gold medalist. Boyd and his wife Silva run their Windurra USA training operation out of Cochranville, Pa. He is a two-time CCI5*-L winner, most recently taking top honors aboard On Cue at the 2021 Maryland CCI5*-L, and previously rode True Blue Toozac to the win in the 2003 Adelaide CCI5*-L.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Professional Bull Riders: Heroes and Legends</span>

The Professional Bull Riders Heroes and Legends celebration honors five divisions in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), including the best bucking bulls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Bucking Bull</span> Bucking bull registry

American Bucking Bull, Inc. (ABBI) is an organization dedicated to the registration of bucking bulls and establishing the American Bucking Bull as a documented breed of cattle. American Bucking Bull, Inc., is owned by the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and stock contractors. The organization created a breed registry and manages the registration and certification of American Bucking Bulls. It also keeps records of other breeds of bulls, some of which died out many years ago. It is the largest organization performing these functions. It maintains a genetic DNA database, manages bucking bull pedigrees and encourages the growth of the breed. ABBI also holds competitions for bucking bulls ages 2 through 4. It also has its own magazine, the American Bucking Bull.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tecovas (company)</span> American clothing company

Tecovas is an American retailer of cowboy boots and Western-style apparel. The company got its start by Paul Hedrick as a direct-to-consumer business and is headquartered in Austin, Texas. Along with cowboy boots, Tecovas also sells leather accessories and denim products.

References

  1. 1 2 "Elizabeth Cross, MBA '88". Stanford Business School. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  2. "Ariat brand named after Secretariat". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  3. Hahn, Esther (27 March 2015). "What the Team at Ariat Wears to Work". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  4. "The Rise of Work Wear". Outsideonline.com. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Ariat Expands Partnership with US Equestrian". USEF. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  6. "Ariat Becomes PBR's Newest Corporate Partner". 11 June 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  7. "Ariat foots it with the FEI in new sponsorship deal". Horsetalk.co.nz. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  8. "Ariat Partners with Jared Allen's Homes For Wounded Warriors". Stablemanagement.com. 28 May 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  9. "WWOM: Beth Cross". Westernwomen.com. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  10. "The American Cowboy Boot Makes A Great Comeback". Forbes. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  11. Agnew, Danny (29 April 2009). "Ariat Is the Dopest Boot Company You've Never Heard Of". InsideHook. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  12. "Ariat Launches New Waterproof English Country Boots for Fall 2015". The Equine chronicle. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  13. "Feet First". Riding Magazine. October 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  14. 1 2 "An Ariat Story". D&D Texas Outfitters. 4 February 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  15. Boyce, Dan (24 July 2015). "Inside Energy: In Oilfield Towns, A Boom In Flame Resistant Clothing". Wyoming Public Media. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  16. Fischbach, Amy (24 September 2018). "Ariat to Showcase FR High-Vis Jacket at Lineman's Expo". T&D World. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  17. Fasanella, Allie (13 March 2020). "These Men's Slip-Resistant Western Boots Will Keep You Safe on Your Feet". Footwear News. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  18. "Professional Bull Riders - National Partners". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  19. Schneider-Levy, Barbara (9 March 2015). "Ariat Boots to Star on Scott Eastwood in 'The Longest Ride'". Footwear News.
  20. "Texas Rattlers". Ariat. Retrieved June 27, 2024.