Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
Bella Hadid’s boyfriend, Adán Banuelos, has given rare insight into his relationship with the supermodel.
The 35-year-old cowboy opened up about the start of his romance with Hadid, 27, during an appearance on the Along For the Ride podcast. The Mexican-American rodeo star revealed that Hadid even lived with him in a fifth wheel trailer in the early days of their relationship.
“She did do the fifth wheel happily,” Banuelos explained on the podcast, which aired earlier this month.
He called his girlfriend “bada**” for deciding to live with him in his travel trailer, adding: “That fifth wheel has always felt small, but then you get somebody that you enjoy spending time with and that fifth wheel went from a fifth wheel to a f**ing mansion.”
The equestrian went on to praise Hadid for living with him in his trailer, and shared how “material things” aren’t important to the Orebella founder. Banuelos also revealed that Hadid has recently purchased a home in Texas, where he lives, while he’s “working on building a home” in the meantime.
“Man, I can’t tell you how happy I am. I can’t tell you how fortunate I am,” Banuelos continued. “This young lady is one of the kindest, biggest-hearted and sweet person I’ve - I mean I didn’t know God made ’em like that.”
He expressed that “how beautiful [Hadid] is on the outside is nowhere near compared to what she’s like as a human being.”
“She has no idea that she’s as beautiful as she is,” Banuelos gushed. “She’s never thought that way, she’s never felt that way. She’s a very kind kind soul.”
He added: “She puts up with me and she loves me, and I’m head over heels for her. It’s been absolutely awesome.”
The couple began dating after meeting at a horse show in Texas more than a year ago. Banuelos and Hadid sparked romance rumors in October 2023 after they were captured kissing in Fort Worth, according to a video obtained by TMZ. She hard-launched their relationship on Instagram in February this year by sharing several throwback photos from her birthday party in October.
In one of the photos, Banuelos could be seen standing alongside Hadid as she sat down next to her rainbow birthday cake. Hadid also posted a video of herself leaning into Banuelos for a kiss, as they gazed lovingly at each other.
In March, the Vogue cover star celebrated her boyfriend’s win at the American Performance Horseman in Arlington, Texas. Banuelos was the returning champion, and defended his title at this year’s competition. Banuelos and his two teammates each won a $25,000 prize, as well as $100,000 from his win in the cutting arena. On Instagram, Hadid called herself the “leader of the fan club” as she posted photos and videos from Banuelos’s performance.
In fact, Banuelos is a celebrated horse cutter – an equestrian competition in which a horse and rider work together to separate a single cow from a herd of cattle. He was inducted into the National Cutting Horse Hall of Fame in 2017, and was named the Rider of the Year in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Prior to her relationship with Banuelos, Hadid was in a relationship with art director Marc Kalman for nearly three years. She also dated The Weeknd on-and-off from 2015 to 2019.