Kix and Barbara Brooks presented a $68,646.25 check to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and Nashville's Ronald McDonald House, which represented proceeds from the Music City Futurity horse show. Accepting the check from the Barbara and Kix Brooks, center, are patients (left to right) Shanice Fortin, Robyn Brewer, Michelle Re, and Christopher Cook. (photo by Dana Johnson)
Show benefits VCH, Ronald McDonald House
Country superstar Kix Brooks, of the duo Brooks & Dunn, and his wife Barbara presented Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House a check for $68,646.25, which will be split evenly between the two organizations.
The money represents the proceeds from the Music City Futurity, a cutting horse show developed by the couple. The money was raised through silent and live auctions and profits from the sale of Brooks & Dunn and Music City Futurity merchandise.
“Some of our big ticket items included a jacket worn by Faith Hill which sold for $12,000 and a pair of commemorative spurs which brought $9,000,” Barbara Brooks said. “We sold a black leather Brooks & Dunn jacket for $9,000 and then the buyer gave it back to be sold again. We got another $5,000 from the second buyer.”
More than 500 participants came from as far away as California, Oregon, New Mexico and Rhode Island to compete in the event, which was held Oct. 8-16 at the Williamson County Ag-Expo Park. A cutting horse is trained to separate one cow from the herd and then, with minimal guidance from its rider, keep the cow from getting back to the herd by predicting and blocking its moves.