Who Owns Ariat?

Beth Cross and Pam Parker founded Ariat in 1992 after meeting at Stanford Business School and working together at Bain & Company on a strategy project for Reebok. Their insight was specific: traditional English and western riding boots were stiff, heavy and hard on the feet, and athletic shoe technology could fix that. Reebok passed on the idea, but Reebok executive Angel Martinez backed them as an early investor and advisor.

The company shipped its first riding boots in 1993 under the tagline "The New Breed of Boot," integrating athletic shoe cushioning and support into equestrian footwear. The name Ariat references Secretariat, the 1973 Triple Crown winner, whose competitive spirit the founders wanted the brand to embody.

Growth was steady through the 1990s and 2000s. Ariat expanded from performance riding boots into western fashion boots, apparel and work boots with flame-resistant features that found demand in the energy industry. The company built distribution through specialty western and work retailers and began sponsoring major equestrian events: it became official boot sponsor of the Professional Bull Riders in 2009 and signed a partnership with the International Federation for Equestrian Sports in 2015.

Ownership changed hands twice through private equity. LNK Partners and Brentwood Associates held stakes before the 2012 sale to the Fisher family and management, a deal that valued the business at $350 million to $400 million. Under Fisher ownership, the company kept Cross as CEO and accelerated expansion into apparel, denim and international markets, becoming the largest equestrian footwear and apparel brand in the world.

In recent years, Ariat has scaled its physical infrastructure. The company established a one-million-square-foot regional headquarters and distribution hub in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2020, and announced a $72.6 million expansion of that campus in December 2025, adding office space and a second distribution center and committing to roughly 250 new jobs by 2032.