A large crowd gathered at the Celebration Event Center to raise funds for Morning Star Ranch, a 501c3 children’s ministry during a gala Oct. 26.
The evening not only included NFR level talent as horses and children from Morning Star Ranch were a big part of the evening as well.
The night’s events included a wealth of spectacle for guests as Whiplash the Cowboy Monkey dazzled the crowd with his cowboy skills; Tomas Garcilazo and his son Louie awed with their charro skills and rope handling; Leah Self outdid herself with breathtaking trick riding; Doug Mathis worked magic all evening as Master of Ceremonies; and Ferron Lucero put it over the top as the evening’s auctioneer
“We wanted folks to get to know us! It is one thing to support a good cause. It is another to meet our riders, pet our geriatric horses, and see first hand our kids’ riding skills!” said Board Member Lanell Upshaw.
To that end, the evening began with local youth Autry Hallmark presenting the American Flag for the National Anthem. Morning Star riders and their favorite horses greeted Gala attendees as they entered the building. The final act in the pre-dinner show was the drill team comprised of riders from Morning Star Ranch. Upshaw shared, “The average age of our horses are over 20. The average age of our riders is under 10. So, it’s the perfect balance! And we are so proud of every one of them!”
Funds raised from the Star Gala 2021 will fund expenses for the year-round program at Morning Star Ranch. Ranch activities include weekly riding lessons, roping clinics, horse camp, monthly movie night, the summer Wrangler program, and more.
The evening closed with year-end recognitions. Sue Wiess of Dublin was recognized as Board Member of the Year. Nicole Petet of Stephenville was recognized as Volunteer of the Year. Carley Cary of DeLeon was recognized as Rider of the Year.
MSR Board President Travis Bickham shared, “We launched this ministry one year ago. We are so proud of the growth and success of this program! Star GALA was an amazing event and we look forward to another year of serving the youth of Erath County!”
For more information, find Morning Star Ranch at www.msranch.org or on Facebook at Morning Star Ranch – Dublin, TX.
—Citizen staff report