Equest Runs For the Roses With Its 45th Annual Western Chic Blue Ribbon Gala in Dallas

“Let’s meet by the miniature horses.”

My friend Samantha came from her daughter’s piano recital and met me at Gilley’s for Equest’s recent Blue Ribbon Gala. Like taking your child to the State Fair of Texas, it’s important to establish a meeting point in the event that you’re separated. At Equest, meeting by the miniature horses served as the Big Tex — the only logical choice.

For the 45th Blue Ribbon Gala, the sold-out crowd of 600 Equest supporters arrived in their “Western Chic” attire, ready to both honk and tonk. As expected, I saw Canadian tuxedos, shimmery sequins, and cowboy boots aplenty. (I even opted to top my ‘fit with a cowboy hat that I acquired last year in Jackson Hole.) The men of Dallas always appreciate it when a Saturday night fundraiser includes their favorite pair of blue jeans.

The elegant and refined Melinda and Mark Knowles chaired this year’s gala, which advances Equest’s mission of enhancing lives through equine-assisted therapies. Lynn McBee served as honorary chair. Steve Kemble transformed the space for the annual gala with an abundance of red roses to match the theme, “Run for the Roses.” Suspending high above the dance floor, a cowboy boot-shaped disco ball sparkled, later beckoning guests to cut a rug at the after-party.

The endlessly energetic and effervescent Calvert Collins Bratton expertly emceed the evening, which included a Color Guard presentation that honored the military. Following the plated three-course dinner, Equest highlighted their guiding message — humans, horses, and hope. It’s as simple as that!  The organization conveyed this message through powerful client testimonials, as well as through a memorial dance tribute performed by Equest co-founder Susan Schwartz and Adam Telessy of Fred Astaire Dance Studios. In these moments, the organization masterfully showcases their mission in action. As always, I felt incredibly moved by the client testimonials that highlighted how equine therapy improves the lives of children, adults, and veterans with diverse needs.

Later in the evening, Schwartz presented the Founders Award to Leslie & Hawkins Golden, and Equest CEO Eric Lindh awarded Carol Huckin with the 2026 Citation Award. To carry Equest’s mission forward into the next 45 years, the evening included a silent auction, paddle raise, and a live auction led by Louis Murad.

The evening trotted along with a — dare I say? — Golden Tempo. When guests could no longer resist the magnetic pull of the cowboy boot disco ball, they boogied their way to the dance floor as the jubilant sounds of Jordan Kahn’s Manhattan Orchestra filled the room.

Equest’s mission truly is a worthy quest, and their signature fundraiser remains a winner, year after year.

PC Seen: Lyda Hill, Debbie and Nickey Oates, Kim and Greg Hext, Chuck Steelman, Natalie Taylor, Janie and David Condon, Sara and Robert Rockey, Julie Moran, Lili Kellogg, Harley Cozewith, Norma Jean Schaltenbrand, Nancy Carlson, Alison Malone, Stacey Walker, Maggie Cooke Kipp, Nancy Gopez, Amy Turner, Bonner Allen, and Lisa and Kendall Laughlin.