Cattle Baron's Coup

Cattle Baron's Ball blows away Gilley's crowd with record-breaking fun

Cancer sucks, but country rocks. That was the motto for the thousands of Texans who filed into Gilley’s for the 41st annual Cattle Baron’s Ball featuring a special performance by Kenny Chesney.

Co-chairs Cindy Stager and Jill Tananbaum kicked off the evening by welcoming extra-special guests to a VIP party, where Sam Moore performed while guests nibbled on bites provided by Truluck’s and Sprinkles and sipped the night’s signature Grey Goose cocktail, “The Good Stuff,” named after one of Chesney’s hit singles. VIPs could also pre-register for the live auction and buy raffle tickets before the rest of the partygoers arrived.

When the doors officially opened, guests — including Sunie Solomon, Maggie Cooke Kipp, LeeAnne Locken, Katy and Lawrence Bock, Melissa and Bob Rountree, Lynn McBee, Richard and Susanne Rawlings, and Candy Evans — piled into the venue and enjoyed a variety of foods, including cracked pepper shrimp on green chile grit cakes, Shiner Bock chili pie, beef brisket, and more. A few even braved the long line to ride the Ferris wheel.

During the opening hour, Mockingbird Sun played their version of down-home country music on the indoor stage. Then it was time for attendees to open up their wallets for the live auction, which featured packages such a barbecue dinner for 30 with some of Dallas’ premier chefs (think Kent Rathbun and Dean Fearing) a trip to London to watch the Victoria’s Secret fashion show, a Kentucky Derby weekend with Longines watches, the Ultimate Dallas Mavericks experience, and more.

Then it was time for Chesney to take the Andrews Distributing Main Stage, and his set didn’t disappoint. This eight-time CMA winner — who has sold more than 30 million albums — energized the crowd as his way of thanking Dallasites for helping to find a cure for cancer. In fact, although the official totals aren’t in yet, Chesney let the crowd know that they had succeeded in raising a record amount of money for the American Cancer Society. And if Chesney says it, it’s taken as gospel around here.

Once Chesney exited the stage to a roaring standing ovation, it was time for the after-party, where night owls spurred on, dancing to the beats of the Studio 54 Band and enjoying some late-night bites such as biscuits and country gravy, skillet potatoes, crispy fried steak strips, and cinnamon rolls. Only in Texas, baby.

Guests finally started to leave around 2 am — but not without a bag filled to the brim with swag such as Cattle Baron’s Ball T-shirts, hats and coozies; BeGlammed promotional cards; Mercedes Benz journals; South Walton Beach toasting glasses and recipe books; funky phone chargers and lighters; and various other goodies.

Since 1974, the Cattle Baron’s Ball has raised nearly $60 million for cancer research, the majority of which is conducted in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Maggie Cooke Kipp, Heather Centurioni, Kerensa Vest

Maggie Kipp, Heather Centurioni, Kerensa Vest, Cattle Barons Ball

Photo by William Neal

Maggie Cooke Kipp, Heather Centurioni, Kerensa Vest

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Hot to trot

Equest Dallas patrons pony up record $700K at blue ribbon-worthy ball

Photo by Tamytha Cameron

Honorary co-chairs David and Natalie Taylor, Auction chair Norma Jean Schaltenbrand, and Gala co-chairs Kristin and James Hallam

A sold-out crowd of 570 supporters stampeded into Gilley’s Dallas on April 25 for the 44th Annual Equest Blue Ribbon Gala. The Western-chic affair, always one of the most highly anticipated galas of spring, would have a record-breaking night.

Co-chairsKristin and James Hallam and honorary chairs The Sam and Helga Feldman Foundation and Natalie and David Taylor welcomed patrons decked out in cowboy boots and hats to Gilley's, which had been transformed into a shimmering celebration of all things Equest by event designer Steve Kemble. A “disco saddle” centerpiece even hung from the ceiling.

Emcee Calvert Collins-Bratton welcomed the crowed with a hearty "yee haw!" Equest founder Susan Schwartz presented the Founders Award to Carol Chamberlin, whose three decades of service as volunteer, donor, and barn manager have made her an Equest organization legend. The Citation Award went to Donna and Tim Weber and their daughter Katherine, an Equest client.

New CEO Eric Lindh took the stage to underscore Equest’s mission to provide equine-assisted learning, therapies, and counseling (much of it free of charge) to children, adults, and veterans. He shared the nonprofit's bold vision for the future, focusing on the number “22,” a call to action inspired by the 22 percent of Dallas County residents living with a disability, the 22 veterans lost to suicide daily in the U.S., and the 22 percent of Americans living with mental illness, while less than half of those receive treatment.

His pledge to expand services to first responders struck a chord with the crowd, as did the moving testimonials from Equest clients.

Auction chair Norma Jean Schaltenbrand urged the crowd to “Bid boldly. Bid big. Bid with heart,” and patrons did that in spades. Auctioneer Louis Murad encouraged bidders to raise paddles stridently, starting from initial $10,000 bids onward. Bidding got fast and furious live auction packages that included fabulous trips (with destinations such as France, Antigua, and Montana) and more. The most memorable moment came when a guest insisted Murad - ever the showman - auction off his own sparkling jacket. It fetched $2,000, a purchase by Tim Weber (who clearly loves a good statement piece).

In total, the gala raised $700,000, the largest fundraising amount in Equest’s 44-year history. The Blue Ribbon Ball's proceeds go directly to equine-assisted therapies and other services provided by Equest; for more information, visit the organization's website.

Photo by Tamytha Cameron

Honorary co-chairs David and Natalie Taylor, Auction chair Norma Jean Schaltenbrand, and Gala co-chairs Kristin and James Hallam

After a night of sipping, dining, and fundraising, patrons tried their luck at casino games and danced the night away to Jordan Kahn’s Manhattan Orchestra.

Spotted in the crowd, enjoying the evening, were Donna Weitzman, Nancy Greenbach, Natalie Taylor, Therese Rourk, Anne Seanor, Courtney Conley, Maggie Spiegel, Tyler Bridges, Lea LaFortune, Lee and Paul Michaels, Ryan and Kelly Casey, Christina Eubanks, Megan Pharis, Julie Bagley, Laura Johnson, Parker and Katy Brooks, Sharon Lee Clark, Max Clark, Jordan Glasgow, Anna Gresham, Khaki Christopher, Jessie Dornak, Jeff Netzer, Lynn McBee, Sarah and Trey Pederson, Luis Araujo, Amy Green, Kayten Elder, Sila Grogan, Melissa Placet, Tayler Reiter, Danny and Tanya Rice, Tina and Michael Beasom, and hundreds more patrons and supporters.