With the 2024 Cattle Baron’s Ball less than four weeks away, the CBB underwriters were honored at the elegant Hotel Swexan on Thursday, September 5. The only problem was getting there. In addition to the usual drive-home, there was the addition of the Katy Trail 5K gobbling up a lane along Turtle Creek Boulevard and heading to the finish line near the Harwood District neighborhood. But despite that challenge, it was well worth it with the surroundings, the views and the hospitality of the hotel for guests that included longtime underwriters Louise LaManna, Mary McGreevy, Ryan Ross, Angie and Kevin Kadesky, Susan and John Farris, Cattle Baron’s Founder Jacque Wynne and former CBB chairs Cindy Lindsley (2001) with husband Don Lindsley, Kristi Sherrill (2010) with husband Ron Hoyl, Cara French (2016), Diana Hamilton (2020), Andrea Cheek (2023) with husband Heath Cheek and Isabell Novakov Higginbotham (2023) with husband Trey Higginbotham.
The night proved to be a double celebration when 2024 Co-Chair Lora Farris told the crowd that it was also 2024 Co-Chair Marjon Henderson‘s birthday. Here’s a report from the field:
Cattle Baron’s Underwriter Party on Thursday, September 5, was a return to yesteryear with more than 300 guests, most attired in western chic attire (aka boots, jeans, cowboy hats, short skirts and fringe) attending the cocktail buffet at the Harwood District’s new Hotel Swexan. It was a scene right out of the iconic movie “Giant” with lots of bling, lots of expensive cars and lots of wanna-be barons. One guest asked if any celebrities would be attending and was greeted with a quick retort, “These people think they are celebrities.”
Getting there was a bit of a challenge as Turtle Creek was narrowed to one lane to accommodate the hundreds of participants in the Katy Trail 5K who were all headed to the finish line, which was very close to the Harwood Street entrance to a hotel that’s already known for being difficult to enter as it has a very short entryway that accommodates eight cars.
Once past the parking challenges, patient baronesses and barones were greeted by a cadre of black-clad hotel staffers who whisked guests, via a private elevator, to the sixth floor. Once there, the sleek black and white space, reminiscent of a European castle, was the setting for a “giant” party with cocktails flowing, food stations abundant, an international flare and western music providing a sign of things to come on Saturday, September 28, at Southfork. There, 3,000 guests are expected to enjoy Carrie Underwood on the Andrews Distributing/Miller Lite Main Stage.
Lora welcomed guests and then announced it was Marjon’s birthday, which was followed by a group “happy birthday” sing-along with a country-and-western twist. The co-chairs then explained the hotel’s connection to Cattle Baron’s, quoting the Swexan’s marketing materials “Swiss hospitality meets Texans’ charm.”
The somewhat cooler weather was enticing for dozens of guests who ventured to the outdoor terrace overlooking downtown.
The Cattle Baron’s Committee is anticipating this year’s ball will take the total raised by the organization, since 1974, to more than $100 million for the American Cancer Society. A handful of tickets are still available. For inquiries, contact the Cattle Baron’s Ball at 214.443.9222.
* Photo credit: Tamytha Cameron of Tamytha Cameron Photography