Experience an unforgettable evening of glitz, glamour, and giving at Equest’s 45th Annual Blue Ribbon Gala! Inspired by Run for the Roses, this milestone celebration honors 45 years of perseverance, progress, and powerful breakthroughs achieved through Equest’s programs.
Individual tickets for the Gala are now available to purchase for $400 at www.equest.org/gala. The magical evening will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2026, 6:00 to 11:00 p.m., at Gilley’s Dallas South Side Ballroom.
Led by Gala Chairs Melinda and Mark Knowles, with Honorary Chair Lynn McBee, the Gala will feature a cocktail reception, gourmet seated dinner, exciting live and silent auctions, and dancing to the acclaimed Jordan Kahn’s Manhattan Orchestra. The Gala will also include the presentation of two of Equest’s most prestigious honors: the Founders Award to Leslie and Hawkins Golden and the Citation Award to Carol Huckin.
Every moment of the Blue Ribbon Gala supports Equest’s life-changing mission to provide hope and healing to individuals with diverse needs through equine-assisted therapies and activities. More than 70 million people nationwide, and over 800,000 in North Texas, live with a disability. With 1 in 31 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder—Equest’s largest population served—every ticket sold, every auction bid, every generous donation helps create lasting impact.
“Run for the Roses symbolizes the determination it takes to overcome challenges and the victories, both big and small, experienced by our clients,” said Eric Lindh, CEO of Equest. “At the heart of those breakthroughs is the powerful bond between client and horse, and the Blue Ribbon Gala helps ensure that our extraordinary therapy horses can continue delivering life-changing impact for years to come.”
Founded in 1981, Equest provides equine facilitated activities, therapies and counseling to children and adults with physical, cognitive, sensory, coping and learning disabilities and veterans with adjustment challenges. The services provided include physical and occupational therapy, equine facilitated counseling and learning, therapeutic carriage driving, therapeutic horsemanship and competition. In 2025, with 30 therapy horses and a dedicated team of professionals, Equest impacted 727 individuals through direct services and reached an additional 1,511 through outreach and education. 431 veterans were served through the Hooves for Heroes program. Equest was the first PATH International Premier Accredited Center in Texas and remains one of the largest in the country. www.equest.org
The Equest Annual Blue Ribbon Gala will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at Gilley’s Dallas (1135 Botham Jean Blvd., Dallas, TX 75215). Tables of ten start at $5,000 and individual tickets are $400 each. Sponsorships and underwriting tables are also available. For more information and to purchase tables, please visit www.equest.org/gala or contact Angela Escamilla at gala@equest.org or (972) 412-1099 ext. 209.