Yellowstone Fans Sound Off On Bella Hadid Cameo, But She Was Actually Just Named The National Cutting Horse Association’s Rookie Of The Year

Bella Hadid is living out her Yellowstone dreams both literally and figuratively. During last night's Yellowstone episode, "Give The World Away," supermodel Bella Hadid made a cameo appearance as Travis's girlfriend...  which a lot of fans took exception to. https://twitter.com/thefuckbro__/status/1865954286707880164 Of course, Travis is played by Yellowstone creator and writer Taylor Sheridan, and many fans saw the casting decision as a pretty egotistical and intentional move to find a world class model to be his on-screen love interest. But actually, some fans might be surprised to learn that Taylor Sheridan did not include Bella Hadid in the episode just so his character "Travis" could have a stunning girlfriend. He included Hadid because, over the last year, she has become a major player in the cutting horse industry. Yes, you read that correctly: Bella Hadid, the Victoria's Secret supermodel, has gone full cowgirl. Bella Hadid has a longstanding history with equestrian sports, growing up showing hunter and jumper horses. Hadid took some time away from the sport after being diagnosed with Lyme disease. But last year, she returned to the show ring, highlighting her time in Wellington, Florida, where a massive winter show circuit is held each year. The prestigious grounds highlight some of the top jumping horses nationally and internationally. https://www.instagram.com/p/CwIyo_QgPOR/?img_index=1 Hadid later switched from the English world of horses to the Western side of the industry when she met her now boyfriend, Adan Banuelos (who also made an appearance in Yellowstone last night). Adan is the son of Ascencion Banuelos, who was the first Mexican-American ever inducted into the National Cutting Horse Association Hall of Fame. In 2017, Adan was inducted into the National Cutting Horse Association Rider Hall of Fame as one of the youngest inductees ever. He's a big deal in the cutting horse world, to say the least. As the owner of Adan Beanuelos Performance Horses, he specializes in training and showing cutting horses of his clients, as well as training non-pro and amateur riders. https://www.instagram.com/p/C_34EOFPzug/ Since he and Hadid got together, Hadid has been experimenting in the cutting horse world, competing throughout this past year. Given that her beau has some very nice horses, the crossover from English to Western was seamless. On top of that, Hadid's involvement in this side of the equine industry sheds light on the Western world, which made her a perfect pick for a Yellowstone cameo. But even with that knowledge, I am sure there are some folks who have been making comments like, "Bella's not even that good. She's just doing this to make this cowboy like her...etc." But Hadid recently received an award that shuts down any and all of that commentary. She can walk the walk as a cowgirl and talk the damn talk because she was just named the National Cutting Horse Association's Limited Age Rookie Of the Year. Jay Winborn, Executive Director of the NCHA, spoke on how excited they are to have a young talent like Hadid participating in the sport and bringing awareness to it as well.

“The NCHA is excited to congratulate Bella Hadid as the LAE Rookie of the Year. Her hard work in and out of the show pen is evident. When she is not competing, she cheers enthusiastically for her fellow cutting competitors and avidly supports the sport of cutting. We look forward to seeing her talent and passion for the sport, as well as her bond with equine athletes, continue to grow and flourish.”

After competing in the NCHA's World Championship over the weekend in Forth Worth, Texas, Hadid is now one of the top-earning amateurs in the Limited Age division. Cowgirl Magazine reported that Hadid entered the NCHA Futurity with lifetime earnings of $18,960; by the event’s conclusion, those earnings grew to $23,960. Hadid is proving to the Western community that she is here to stay, and her appearance in Yellowstone solidifies that statement. As someone who loves Western sports and is involved in the community, Hadid's public participation in the sport brings new exposure to the industry. I am here for this. Congratulations, Bella. https://www.instagram.com/p/DDP1iIHJ5qZ/