An 'Enchanted' Lunch Honors Rodeo Trailblazers — and Lassos a Record-Breaking Crowd of Thousands

An 'Enchanted' Lunch Honors Rodeo Trailblazers — and Lassos a Record-Breaking Crowd of Thousands

Camille Connelly, Audrey White, Julie Chen, Amanda Boffone, Daniella Hernandez, Melissa Moncrief

THE 24TH ANNUAL Trailblazers Awards luncheon and fashion show kicked off Rodeo season in style! The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo took over the entirety of the Hilton Americas-Houston's ballroom spaces and welcomed a record-setting crowd of more than 2,000 for its big afternoon fete, which this year adopted the theme of Enchanted Garden.


This year's honorees, recognized for all the time, talent and generosity they've lent to the Rodeo over the years, included Isela Garcia, Michelle Iversen Jeffrey, Kristie Manning, Nancy Motley, Taryn Sims and Jennifer Currey Van Matre. Recipients from previous years were also in attendance, cheering each other on during the fashion show, produced by Lenny Matuszewski and Tamara Klosz Bonar.

The main event featured spring fashions from Saks Fifth Avenue (and cowboy dancers, naturally). Inspired by the production, many attendees sipped and shopped around a colorful marketplace erected in the hotel, and others stayed in the ballroom for an afterparty with tunes courtesy of DJ Johnny Bravo. Yee-haw!

Katy Tomasini, Jennifer Arnold, Heather Loesberg

Victoria Nelson, Debbie Young

Amanda Alvarez, Laura Salinas-Pruneda, Susie Molina, Leticia Rios

Vanessa Kriegel, Roxy Sanford, Sylvia Ready

Tiffany Halik, Tricia Verbois, Lesley Noto, Krista Shamaly

Cassie Sinor, Christina Wilson , Dana Barton

Carol Sawyer

Susannah Causey, Johnny Causey

Fashion models

Chris and Kendall Hanno

Steve Newmyer, Andrew Clendennen, John Grimes

Erin and Preston Hall

Kelly Larkin, Anita Sehga

Julie and Alan Kent

Daniella Hernandez, Cinthya Reade ,Felicia Stone

Heidi Turney, Liz Weisberg, Hasina Starks

Jarrett Adame, Tyson Dunn, Joe Van Matre, JW Daubert

Parties

Brigitte Kalai, Ghada Ali, Lance McCullers Jr. and Christine Johnson

OFF-DUTY ASTRO Lance McCullers Jr. was among those honored at the “Houston Sweethearts” event at Saks Fifth Avenue just before Valentine’s Day.

Keep Reading Show less
Parties

IT SEEMS THE groundhog was right, and spring has come early to Houston! Perfect timing for a prime patio spot to arrive in CityCentre: North Italia, the casual hotspot for pizza and wine on Post Oak, just bowed in the former Tasting Room location, boasting two outdoor spaces, complete with greenery and fireplaces.

Keep Reading Show less
Food