Missing High Tea At The Brown

Last week, I walked past Denver's Brown Palace Hotel, the reflection of which can be seen in the photograph above, under the UMB Bank sign, and thought about how I have now missed High Tea with the National Western Stock Show's Grand Champion Steer, along with the runner-up, twice in a row. Last year, I had a previous engagement, and arrived at the Brown Palace, Denver's most prestigious hotel, just as they were loading the steers into the trailer to take them back to the stock show. This year, I just plain forgot. However, I have to admit that two years ago, when I actually did attend this event, it was a bit of a letdown. This annual rite began in 1945 when a rancher sold two bulls for $50,000 each - a record at the time - and paraded them through the lobby of the Brown to celebrate. And so the tradition began. However, I was very disappointed to find that the two steers were not seated at a big table with various stock show luminaries, but kept in separate pens off to the side. That made for a much less impressive photo. And so, as I walked past the hotel, my final thought on the subject was "to hell with it." Which I am saying to myself more and more these days.