Inside the Wild Texas and Texas A&M VIP Football Scene — Celebrities, Cowboy Boots, Banned Mascots and So Much Food

A Feast For the Senses

BY Shelby Hodge // Dec 10, 2025

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Woody Harrelson, Matthew McConaughey, UT Athletic Director Chris Del Conte on the sidelines at the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Zinat Ahmed, Cotton Holdings founder and chairman Pete Bell on the sidelines at the Lone Star Showdown in Austin (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Bailey Bell Layne, son Hudson at Cotton Holdings' Lone Star Showdown tailgate party (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Cotton Holdings founder and chairman Pete Bell carries the Lone Star Showdown trophy to the winning Texas Longhorns (Photo Courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Pete Bell with legendary former Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum at the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown tailgate (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Lone Star Showdown fans of both persuasions packed the rooftop of the LBJ Presidential Library for Cotton Holdings ultimate tailgate (Photo Courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Alex Young, Audrey Sarver, Shannon Patak at Cotton Holdings' Lone Star Showdown tailgate (Photo by courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Austin artist Brittany Atkinson paints a Lone Star cowgirl at the Lucchese pop-up during Cotton Holdings' Lone Star Showdown tailgate (Photo by Photos Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Shannon Patak, Whitney Lawson, Zinat Ahmed, Andrea Simmons, Lauren Paine at the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown Tailgate (Photo by Photos Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Cotton Culinary Special Events team's Erin Cornelius, Cotton Culinary's Executive Chef Wade Schindler at the Lone Star Showdown tailgate (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Texas A&M mascot Reveille at the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown Tailgate (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Dr. Ed Buckingham, Dalton Buckingham, Texas Land Dr. Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, Reagan McGinnis, Holly Townsend, Johnny & Debra Slaughter at the Lone Star Showdown tailgate (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Entrance to the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown tailgate held on the roof of the LBJ Presidential Library (Photo Courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Marty Lancton at the Texas Two-Shine in the VIP Lone Star Lounge at the Cotton Tailgate (Photo Courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Lucchese bootmakers put on a pop-up at the Lone Star Showdown (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Zinat Ahmed with the custom branded Cotton Lone Star Showdown football by Lucchese (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Zinat Ahmed with the University of Texas mascot Hook 'Em on the sidelines at the Lone Star Showdown (Photo Courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Stacey & Russell White, guests of Cotton Holdings, on the sidelines at the Lone Star Showdown (Photo Courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

University of Texas Cheerleaders and Pom Squad at Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown tailgate (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

The University of Texas takes home the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown Trophy (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Cotton Holdings chief marketing officer Zinat Ahmed at the Lone Star Showdown tailgate (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Cotton Holdings took over the 16,000 square foot rooftop of the LBJ Presidential Library for the Lone Star Showdown tailgate (Photo Courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown Trophy on the field at the Darryl K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium (Photo Courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Zinat Ahmed shares a moment with Texas A&M University mascot Reveille at Cotton Holdings' Lone Star Showdown tailgate (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Woody Harrelson, Matthew McConaughey, UT Athletic Director Chris Del Conte on the sidelines at the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Lone Star Showdown fans of both persuasions packed the rooftop of the LBJ Presidential Library for Cotton Holdings ultimate tailgate (Photo Courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Cotton Culinary Special Events team's Erin Cornelius, Cotton Culinary's Executive Chef Wade Schindler at the Lone Star Showdown tailgate (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Dr. Ed Buckingham, Dalton Buckingham, Texas Land Dr. Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, Reagan McGinnis, Holly Townsend, Johnny & Debra Slaughter at the Lone Star Showdown tailgate (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Cotton Holdings took over the 16,000 square foot rooftop of the LBJ Presidential Library for the Lone Star Showdown tailgate (Photo Courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Texas A&M fans might prefer to forget that Lone Star Showdown game in Austin, but neither they nor the winning University of Texas Longhorn fans who attended Cotton Holdings’ Lone Star Showdown tailgate will soon forget it. This rocking pregame party extended across the 16,000-square-foot roof of Austin’s LBJ Presidential Library.

Hundreds of fans and alumni from both universities gathered for the celebration that included a rich game day experience with school mascot appearances, cheerleaders, live art, a fab Lucchese pop-up shop and a VIP lounge. Those familiar with Cotton Holdings founder and CEO Pete Bell‘s penchant for over-the-top celebrating were not surprised.

Remember the Cotton Q Club at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World Championship Bar-B-Que Contest?

Cotton Holdings Chief Marketing Officer Zinat Ahmed with Founder and Chairman Pete Bell on the sideline of the 2025 Lone Star Showdown; photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings — Zinat Ahmed and Cotton Holdings founder and chairman Pete Bell on the sidelines at the Lone Star Showdown in Austin (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

His disaster and infrastructure support services company is title sponsor of the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown, the historic gridiron rivalry between two, shall we say, antagonistic opponents. Any ill will, however, was left at the tailgate entrance so that both teams could enjoy the revelry.

Nearly 10,000-square-feet of the rooftop featured fan zones for both schools, multiple 80-inch screens, lounge vignettes, a 360-degree bar and interactive food stations.

Zinat Ahmed with the custom branded Cotton Lone Star Showdown football by Lucchese; photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings (Photo by Photos Courtesy of Cotton Holdings) — Zinat Ahmed with the custom branded Cotton Lone Star Showdown football by Lucchese (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings) (Photo by Courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

For the hoity toity, an exclusive 6,400-square-foot VIP Lone Star Lounge offered executives, political figures and high-profile guests a speakeasy-style retreat from the crush of more than 450 fans. The swells were treated to a 16-foot LED screen, directors’ chair and a personalized Texas Two-Shine boot shining experience.

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Traditional game-day food kept the fans fueled. In the hands of Cotton Culinary executive chef Wade Schindler the feast included Lone star brisket sliders, pork belly deviled eggs, Cotton dogs and a Texas Rivalry nacho bar. Way more than any individual party-goer could ever sample.

Never mind that Texas A&M mascot Reveille had been barred from the Darrell K Royal field, the handsome collie joined the party as did the University of Texas mascot Hook ‘Em. The Longhorn marching band sounded a few stirring notes and those darling UT cheerleaders spread the home team spirit. Not to be outdone, Texas A&M Yell Leaders delivered on visiting team enthusiasm.

Marty Lancton at the Texas Two-Shine in the VIP Lone Star Lounge at the Cotton Tailgate; photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings — Marty Lancton at the Texas Two-Shine in the VIP Lone Star Lounge at the Cotton Tailgate (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

Kudos to the Cotton Culinary Special Events team’s Erin Cornelius and to Cotton Holdings chief marketing officer Zinat Ahmed, who contributed her share of planning and her expected measure of fashion frolic.

Of course, the energy at the tailgate was surpassed only by that in the stadium where at game’s end Cotton Holdings founder and CEO Pete Bell presented the trophy to the jubilant Longhorns. Joining Bell in cheering from the sidelines during the game were Glen Powell, Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Miranda Lambert and Governor Greg Abbott.

Texas A&M Mascot Reveille at the Cotton Holdings Tailgate on November 28; photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings — Texas A&M mascot Reveille at the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown Tailgate (Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings)

PC Seen: R.C. Slocum, the famed former Texas A&M coach with more wins than anyone else in Aggie football history; Nan & Company Properties‘ Nancy and Jose Almodovar; Hiller Media Group’s Amelia and Austin Hiller; fashion designer Hunter Bell; Bailey, Hayden and Hudson Layne; Blushington‘s Courtney and Clayton Freels; Joy Care‘s Monica Hartland; Amber Hartland; Whitney and Marc Lawson; Hannah Swiggard; Kristen Cannon; Shelley Ludwick; and Texas State Representatives AJ Louderback, Brooks Landgraf and Daniel Alders.