Paula Cole need not ask "Where have all the cowboys gone?" anymore, because about 650 of them were spotted at the Port of Tampa Cruise Terminal 3 on May 20. But what were that many cowboys doing there? They were raising $378,000 for the Greater Tampa Unit of the American Cancer Society (ACS), while attending the ninth annual Cattle Barons' Ball Sunset Rodeo.
Production company Grand Events of Florida and ACS ambassador Gloria Giunta kept this year's Western-themed benefit fresh by introducing several new forms of entertainment. Among them was "Fashion: Cattle Barons' Style," a Neiman Marcus fashion show that featured everything from boots to chaps to cowboy hats. The event also saw the debut of the "Bronco Bustin' Bull Race," a "Liquor Lasso" (a game where guests tried to rope liquor bottles), and a live auction emceed by WQYK 99.5 FM's Dave McKay and featuring 100 items, including a diamond necklace donated by David Alexander Jewelers.
"Jeanette and Danielle Nunez [of Grand Events] and their team created a Western atmosphere from the minute our guests arrived until it was time for the 'cows to come home,'" stated Giunta, who has been the Tampa organizer for this event since its inception in 1997.
Gaming at the event included blackjack, craps, and Texas hold 'em poker, all of which greatly helped raise money for the charity, as did the rodeo that featured key donors riding stick horses and bulls that were branded with their respective companies' logos to the tunes of the Cactus Creek Band. Besides tons of entertainment, the ball also boasted creative food and drinks.
Carlino's Catering brought Western-style cuisine to the fold, with items such as mesquite-smoked and bourbon-basted tenderloin of beef with caramelized onion, ancho chili, and red wine sauce; savory short ribs of beef slowly braised with pinto beans, andouille sausage, and rice; and Southwestern chicken pot pie. However, what really stole the show were Carlino's famous "Cowgirl Cookies," a cranberry-filled pastry. Guests washed down these meals with cocktails featuring lighted ice cubes and lighted stir sticks, which although they were being poured by bartenders from Lazzara Family Liquor Catering, were actually donated by sponsors Dewar's and Bacardi.
—Albert del Toral
Read our coverage of the 2005 Cattle Barons' Ball...
Production company Grand Events of Florida and ACS ambassador Gloria Giunta kept this year's Western-themed benefit fresh by introducing several new forms of entertainment. Among them was "Fashion: Cattle Barons' Style," a Neiman Marcus fashion show that featured everything from boots to chaps to cowboy hats. The event also saw the debut of the "Bronco Bustin' Bull Race," a "Liquor Lasso" (a game where guests tried to rope liquor bottles), and a live auction emceed by WQYK 99.5 FM's Dave McKay and featuring 100 items, including a diamond necklace donated by David Alexander Jewelers.
"Jeanette and Danielle Nunez [of Grand Events] and their team created a Western atmosphere from the minute our guests arrived until it was time for the 'cows to come home,'" stated Giunta, who has been the Tampa organizer for this event since its inception in 1997.
Gaming at the event included blackjack, craps, and Texas hold 'em poker, all of which greatly helped raise money for the charity, as did the rodeo that featured key donors riding stick horses and bulls that were branded with their respective companies' logos to the tunes of the Cactus Creek Band. Besides tons of entertainment, the ball also boasted creative food and drinks.
Carlino's Catering brought Western-style cuisine to the fold, with items such as mesquite-smoked and bourbon-basted tenderloin of beef with caramelized onion, ancho chili, and red wine sauce; savory short ribs of beef slowly braised with pinto beans, andouille sausage, and rice; and Southwestern chicken pot pie. However, what really stole the show were Carlino's famous "Cowgirl Cookies," a cranberry-filled pastry. Guests washed down these meals with cocktails featuring lighted ice cubes and lighted stir sticks, which although they were being poured by bartenders from Lazzara Family Liquor Catering, were actually donated by sponsors Dewar's and Bacardi.
—Albert del Toral
Read our coverage of the 2005 Cattle Barons' Ball...
The whole event took place under one roof at the Port of Tampa Cruise Terminal 3.
Ball attendees dressed up as cowboys and girls.
Keeping with the Old West theme, the Dewar's 12 Saloon provided cocktails throughout the night.
To beat the Midway's upright blackjack game, guests tried to toss their way to a score of 21.
Craps tables were also prominantly featured at this year's benefit.
The Cactus Creek Band later performed on this stage.
The "live" rodeo, which ended the night, involved key donors riding toy horses.
