A Night to Remember: Celebrating Wild Horses and Burros
The Wild Night Gala, hosted by Camille and Christopher Bently and the Bently Foundation at the Bently Reserve to benefit the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation) on October 19, 2016, was an extraordinary evening of entertainment, art, food, and drink in celebration of America’s iconic mustangs and burros.
Headliner LP brought the crowd to tears with her powerhouse ballad Into the Wild, performed to a backdrop video of wild horses losing their freedom in brutal government roundups.
Following LP’s performance, AWHC Board President Ellie Phipps Price told the crowd about our recent victories and the challenges that lie ahead.
A live auction featuring such items as Jane Fonda’s gorgeous Western saddle and a beautiful horse painting — finished live at the event — by San Francisco artist Sam Flores, plus experiences ranging from a Telluride mini-vacation and tour of the fabulous Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area to a personally crafted and cooked meal by celebrity Junior Chef Sam Stromberg, added excitement to the evening.
AWHC offers its heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Camille and Christopher Bently for their extraordinary generosity and commitment to protecting wild horses and burros.
Special thanks also to:
- Our event sponsors Switch, Giant Steps Foundation, Obvious Ventures, Alicia Goetz, Maja Kristin, Dustan Wines/Durell Vineyard, Royal Bank of Canada, and Dustin Brown;
- Our terrific host committee, Sarah Appel, Sarah & Ray Brown; Lin Coonan, Terri Ducay, Nonie Greene & Todd Werby; Shamrock Gregory, Bill & Laurie Hake, Zem Joaquin, Kathy Kamei, Molly Kingston, Larissa & J. Douglas McCalla; Petrine Day Mitchum, Ellie Phipps Price & Chris Towt, Kimberly Piazza and Jennifer Suarez.
- Photographers Elissa Kline and Kimerlee Curyl and painter Val Warner whose artistic inspirations made the event extra special;
- All the amazing in-kind event contributors, including An Entertaining Company: Kristen McCormick Event Production, Taste Catering and Event Planning, RION Designs of St. Helena, Entire Productions, got light, Marc Mel Designs;
- The generous auction donors, including Chef Sam Stromberg; Carole King, Jennifer Raiser, Larissa McCalla, Tara Arrowood, Victoria Gagne, Jennifer Maharry, Marcus Ashley Gallery, Kimberly Piazza, Molly Kingston, Shreve and Co., Chantecaille, The Crucible, Katja Wichland, TJ Holmes, Pine Nut Wild Horse Advocates, Mary Cioffi, Lynne Pomeranz, Chaix Wines, Jes Maharry, Hyatt Regency, Evelyn Tennyson, Miss Velvet Cream, Tamo Designs, Kathy Kamei, Jo Danehy, Tiffany Daines, William Marlow, Sonya Edwards, Mustang Meg, Ted Barela, Teresa Gilbert, Darcey Grizzle, Leslie Ann Webb, Bridget Carson.
We are so energized by the coming together of so many amazing people in support of our wild horses and burros and our work to save them. Thank you everyone who made this a night to remember!
Photos: Drew Altizer Photography