Texas-based LD Systems has received the prestigious Gala Award for Best Achievement in Technical Support for the 2006 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ concerts and events. LD Systems’ entry endured intense judging to win against competing entries from all over the world.
“The award is a tremendous honor for all the staff who work so hard every year on the Rodeo events.” says LD Systems president, Rob McKinley. “This also shows the world the caliber of talent that resides here in Texas.” Besides winning for Best Achievement in Technical Support, LD Systems was also a finalist in the category of Best Use of Lighting for the rodeo concerts.
Skip Wagner, president of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™, and COO Leroy Shafer wrote in a letter that they “are very pleased with LD Systems’ work and look forward to working with them in the future.” The letter went on to say “The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has worked with LD Systems for the past 20 plus years. During that time, LD Systems has handled all our lighting and sound requirements, not only for our Rodeo Houston and Concert performance held in Reliant Stadium, but our numerous other venues throughout the Reliant Park Complex. All this while moving 1.8 million people in and out of our shows during the 20 day run.”
Andy DiRaddo, one of the company founders, accepted the award in Las Angeles on January 12 at a black-tie gala ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium. “After seeing the other entries we were up against, the true magnitude of what we had accomplished during the rodeo events became quite clear,” notes DiRaddo. “It sure feels great to bring the award home to Texas.”
The Gala Awards have been given by Special Events Magazine since 1986, when the awards honored the "Top 10 Events of 1985." They recognize the finest work in special events worldwide.
For the 2006 Gala Awards, the magazine received 389 entries in 35 categories from Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
Members of the Special Events Magazine Advisory Board, made up of leaders in the event profession, spent three days in October at the magazine’s offices in Pacific Palisades (near Los Angeles), to select the 105 finalist events. Nominated entries went through three rounds of judging.
The Special Events Magazine Advisory Board selected the winners during The Special Event 2007 Conferenceheld January 9-12 in Los Angeles.
