It's a story even the creatives over at Netflix couldn't have imagined.
It was just days before Christmas and the biggest pop star of the 21st century was set to hit the stage of the NFL 2024 Christmas Day Halftime Show, riding in on a horse to perform in what was to become one of the most viewed TV moments in history.
Problem was, the flooring was too slippery for the horses and the massive production was at risk.
That was until a small, family-owned business from Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast of B.C., stepped in to save the day.
Jenny Mundell, relations coordinator with Cavallo Hoof Boots, said four or five days before the show, she received a panicked phone call from Scarlett Walker of Hollywood-based Horses for Productions, who said they needed help — and fast. Cavallo Hoof Boot are all-terrain hoof protection for horses that don’t typically wear metal horseshoes -- and are sometimes even used over horseshoes for added protection.
"She said, 'Oh my God, can you send me boots? Like, right now? We just did a rehearsal, and I signed a [none disclosure agreement], so I'm not allowed to say who the boots are for, but it's for a mega pop star,'" said Mundell. "And she was like, 'Mega.' And I said, OK, we'll do what we can."
Turned out the production was the NFL 2024 Christmas Day Halftime Show on Netflix, also dubbed the Beyoncé Bowl which took place at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, during the game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. Not including world-wide viewing, the U.S. viewership alone for Beyoncé's performance was more than 27 million.
Walker told Mundell that during the rehearsal, they had tried to walk through the stadium with the horses, and everyone was worried because the floor was very slippery, which made the "megastar" nervous.
The team at Cavallo knew it was going to be a rush to get the boots from the Sunshine Coast to Houston, especially just days before Christmas and following the lengthy strike by Canada Post employees, so it stepped into high gear.
Mundell said that's when her "amazing co-worker," Yvonne Welz was brought in to do the sizing using only the photos Walker sent in, while employee Rachel Long helped fill the order.
Meanwhile, this was all unfolding while Mundell was out of the office in Squamish for her dog's rehabilitation appointment.
"So here I am, in the vet, in a rehab appointment, texting, trying to get all these boots sent down there. And it was just so chaotic," said Mundell. "But we got it in before the FedEx picked up."
Then, she says, all everyone could do was wait anxiously to see if the boots would make it.
"To make a long story short, we got them down there. Scarlet said they were all there, just like stressing the day before. And then the FedEx van came rolling in. They opened it up and she took a picture of the box after they opened all the boxes," said Mundell. "And then the craziest thing was that there were seven horses that needed boots and, we don't always get it right, because the horses are so different, so we go by a guide, and we go by photos of the horse. But Yvonne is so good, all seven horses fit their boots, which is kind of unheard of. That was a big win."
The rest, as they say, is, in fact, history, and the boots were used in a performance some are calling bigger than any Super Bowl Halftime Show.
In a comment on Cavallo's Facebook page, Walker wrote, "We ended up using front boots for the main horses as we had to stand around for 10 hours. The ground was extremely slippery and dangerous, and I am happy to report not one single horse slipped! Again, I appreciate you all for getting them to us so fast; they truly are the best, and so many people complimented how great they looked while on set!"
This is not the first time Cavallo Hoof Boots have been used in a major TV production. During the 2023 Academy Awards show in Hollywood, host Jimmy Kimmel walked on stage leading a miniature donkey while speaking about The Banshees of Inisherin film, which was nominated for multiple awards and starred a similar-looking donkey named "Jenny."
Mundell said, as soon as she saw a photo of the donkey, she knew it was wearing Cavallo Hoof Boots, so she started posting on social media in an attempt to find out how that came to be. Turned out, Walker had been a long-time fan of the boots and had chosen to use them at the Oscars.
"And she said, 'I've been using your boots for like, 10 years. So, it was just a no-brainer. The stage was really slick and we had to have some boots on for traction.'"
Since then, the women stayed in touch, so when Walker needed Cavallo Hoof Boots in a hurry, it was Mundell who she turned to.
"We were not guaranteed when we sent all these boots down, like a lot of boots, and the shipping was super expensive, that the boots would even show up on time, we were just hoping that they would," said Mundell, who explained there was no way to know if the boots worked out until they saw the horses wearing them on TV. "And then when we watched it, we were all like, 'Oh my God.' If you look at when she comes around the corner and all the people are standing on the horses and observing her coming through, like a few of those horses have the boots on as well. It was pretty exciting."
Cavallo Hoof Boots were created in the early 1990s by president Carole Herder and CEO Greg Giles. In an email to Coast Reporter, Herder said they were thrilled to see the boots "stepping into the global spotlight, providing the ultimate blend of safety, style, and comfort for both Beyoncé and her equine partner."
"Beyoncé lit up the field at Texas's NRG Stadium in an awe-inspiring spectacle, riding the magnificent horse 'Marshmallow,' who confidently sported the unparalleled Cavallo Hoof Boots. Joined by special guests Shaboozey, Post Malone, and her talented 12-year-old daughter Blue Ivy, this dazzling performance captured the attention of a record-breaking 27 million live Netflix viewers."
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