NCHA Competitors Shine at The Run For A Million Top cutting horses and riders wowed the sold-out crowd in Vegas for the first time at the fifth year of this event. BY HANNAH CR ANDALL | PHOTOS BY CAROLYN SIMANCIK
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he richest event in the history of reining, cutting and reined cow horse competition, The Run For A Million (TRFAM), presented by Teton Ridge, grew this year to include cutting. Originally created to showcase the world of reining, Academy Award nominated director Taylor Sheridan brought the idea to life in 2019, introducing millions to the sport, the dedicated riders and the extremely athletic horses. Under the direction of Brumley Management Group, producer of TRFAM and other top National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) events, the event has grown into a premier competition for all Western horse disciplines.
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With the 2023 event came two major changes: being live-streamed for the first time and the addition of the $200,000 Cutting Challenge. For the fifth time, Las Vegas hosted the biggest names in the performance horse industry at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center on August 16–19. The Cutting Challenge saw an exceptional crowd of people from all over the world, selling out the first day tickets went on sale. Overall, the event averaged 7,000 fans each night, even with a seating capacity of 4,600. The Cutting Challenge took place August 17 in the Main Arena. Other competitions included in this prestigious four-day event included the Bloomer Rookie Championship, the $50,000 added Non-Pro Championship, the $100,000 added Open Shoot Out, the $30,000 Cowboy Invitational, the Youth Fence Challenge, the $200,000 Cow Horse Fence Challenge, the Youth Reining Championship, the $50,000 Bullfighters Only Fight For Fifty and, lastly, The Run For A Million. Eleven of the top cutters in the industry qualified and made their way to Las Vegas for the bright lights and a big payout.
WINTER 2023 | CUTTING HORSE
10/23/23 11:34 AM