On June 23, 2023, the Fort Worth Herd made an announcement regarding the schedule of their daily cattle drive. Starting June 24 and continuing through July 31, the cattle drive will occur once daily. This adjustment in the schedule brings about a change in the frequency of this iconic event.
Due to the extreme summer temperatures, the daily cattle drive at 4 p.m. will be temporarily canceled in order to protect the animals, staff and guests.
Visitors can still enjoy the daily cattle drive at 11:30 a.m. or enjoy a behind-the-scenes experience from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Longhorn Pen located just behind the Livestock Exchange Building. This area provides the advantage of being shaded.
“You get to interact with the drover. You get to learn about life on the trail, the utility of the horse," Kristin Jaworski, the trail boss for the herd, told WFAA. "They’ll do roping demonstrations and the best thing is you get to ask them questions.”
According to WFAA, the staff is constantly monitoring the cattle’s condition to make sure they are safe, as well as workers and guests. Jaworski said. “When we see these heat advisories, we’re watching the temperature, the humidity."
This is not the first time the drive was canceled or postponed. The Herd had to pause drives before for other severe weather including thunderstorms and heat, but it's never been canceled for this many consecutive days.
“Last year I actually monitored it on a daily basis which was quite difficult for planning your vacation or your trip to the stockyards so this allows people to plan ahead," Jaworski said.
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