With a Royal Cameo and Over Half a Million Raised, The Equest Gala Celebrated 40 Years of Horse Power

Dallas is not a city lacking in glamorous, philanthropic evenings, but The Equest Gala has always been a particular favorite. Perhaps it’s the dress code — cowboy boots are much easier to dance in than heels — or the red carpet entrance lined with gorgeous, gentle horses, but the annual event benefiting the beloved organization that provides equine-assisted learning, therapies, and counseling, always has a lovely air to it.

This year’s sold-out affair also happened to be the 40^th anniversary of the Equest Gala, held on Saturday, June 5, within Texas Horse Park’s brand new, open-air Al Hill, Jr. Arena. The elegant evening beneath the stars raised over $600,000 for Equest thanks in part to a stunningly curated silent auction (highlights include a signed guitar by Taylor Swift, an 18k gold and diamond bangle, and an antique John Deere farm wagon) and a vibrant live auction that offered bidders unique experiences in New Orleans, Cabo San Lucas, and Cocoa Beach.

While guests dined on chef Dean Fearing’s famous Texas Wagyu brisket, Emcee Stan Gardner effortlessly kept the evening’s numerous events moving, from performances and speeches to an awards ceremony and a moving memorial. One of the evening’s most memorable moments, however, came via Buckingham Palace, where Princess Anne, an Olympian equestrian, recorded her warm wishes for the event.

Seen: Equest co-chairs Lisa and Kendall Laughlin and Katherine and Austin Wyker; Equest CEO Lili Kellogg, Women’s Auxiliary’s President Katie Layton and chairman and mother Beth Layto; Equest’s Chairman of the Board Lindsay Kirton; and guests including Wyker Carolyn and Romy Anderson, Jessica and Michael Barnett, Lucy and Henry Billingsley, Diane and Hal Brierly, Jennifer and Coley Clark, Katherine and Key Coker, Chef Dean Fearing, Annie and Teal Griffeth, Fallon and Michael Hennessey, Kim and Greg Hext, Lynn and Allan McBee.

Visit Equest.org for more information.