The friendships formed while hauling and showing horses are hard to explain to someone who hasn’t lived them. You celebrate each other’s wins, show up on the difficult days, and understand why someone would spend so much time and effort chasing a few minutes in the show pen.
That world brought Amy and me together. It also gave Frank & Rio its name.
Meet Frank and Rio
Frank and Rio are our horses. In the photo above, Amy is riding Rio and I’m riding Frank. The name is a reminder of where our friendship began and the women we wanted to make shirts for: women who ride, show, work hard, and still want to feel like themselves in what they wear.
We started Frank & Rio while we were showing cutting horses. I had spent about 15 years competing professionally, so I knew how different a shirt can feel in the saddle than it does on a hanger. It needed to look sharp in the show pen and let me reach forward, move my arms, and stay focused on my horse.
The first fittings happened at horse shows
In the early days, we brought prototypes to shows and pulled friends into the bathroom to try them on. We listened when a sleeve needed more room, a front didn’t sit right, or a shirt shifted when someone moved.
Those conversations were valuable because they came from women who would actually wear the shirts. A fitting in front of a mirror could tell us one thing; watching a rider reach for the reins could tell us another.
Small details came from real riding
We kept returning to the details that matter once you get dressed and get on a horse: a collar that stands up, extra buttons to help prevent gapping at the bust, sleeves and shirttails with enough length, and room through the shoulders and upper arms. I wanted a tailored shirt that looked polished without feeling tight when I rode.
Fit is still something we pay attention to. When we see a pull line or find a place where a rider could move more comfortably, we look at the pattern again. The work doesn’t end with the first version of a shirt.
Why the name still matters
Frank & Rio began with two friends, two horses, and a shared understanding of the women we meet through this life. Some of those friendships feel like family. They’re the people who tell you the truth, cheer for you, and know exactly what it took to get to the arena.
That’s the spirit we want to carry into every shirt. Whether you wear yours in the show pen or long after the horses are put away, we hope you feel comfortable, confident, and entirely yourself.
— Angie, co-founder of Frank & Rio
Get to know the shirts: Explore our women’s western shirts, or read how to check the fit of a show shirt when you ride.