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THE RUN FOR A MILLION PARTNERS WITH NRCHA TO ANNOUNCE THE COW HORSE CHALLENGE AND COWBOY INVITATIONAL FOR 2022
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his August 17-20, in Las Vegas, Nevada, The Run For A Million turns up the reined cow horse heat to not only include the open Cow Horse Challenge, but also showcase the roots of reined cow horse with a Cowboy Invitational. “The cow horse was a fan favorite at The Run For A Million in 2021,” said Taylor Sheridan, producer of The Run For A Million. “In 2022 we’ll be doubling down on cow horse, bringing you the very best National Reined Cow Horse Association bridle horses and professionals in the Cow Horse Challenge, and some of the best hands from America’s biggest ranches in the Cowboy Invitational.” At the 2022 Cow Horse Challenge, which is expected to boast at least equal added money to the 2021 event, riders will have an opportunity to qualify at one of two qualifiers NRCHA will host on behalf of The Run For A Million. These qualifiers will be run concurrently with the Open Bridle classes at the Teton Ridge Stallion Stakes in Las Vegas in March and the DT Horses Western Derby in Scottsdale, Arizona, in June. The qualifier events will be an addon to the Open Bridle and will have a $1,000 entry fee with $5,000 added money from The Run For A Million
30 MARCH/APRIL 2022 | REINED COW HORSE NEWS
at each. The top eight riders at each event will earn an invitation to The Run For A Million Cow Horse Challenge, plus a custom qualifier knife from Gist Silversmiths, an NRCHA Corporate Partner, courtesy of The Run For A Million. At these events, the rider earns the qualification, not the horse. Each rider can qualify only once, and does not need to show at The Run For A Million on the same horse he or she rode to qualify. NRCHA will announce the riders’ picks prior to the event through its social media channels. In August, cowboys will be coming to town with the Cowboy Invitational at The Run For A Million. Using the NRCHA Cowboy Class format, the competitors in the Invitational will complete traditional reining and cow work, and then come back for a second turn in the arena for steer stopping. “Reined cow horse grew into a competitive sport from the traditional vaquero way of training a horse to work cattle on a ranch,” said NRCHA Executive Director Anna Morrison. “The connection between our sport and the ranching traditions we grew from is alive and well. This is where we started, and this event will more than showcase how rooted cow horse still is in ranch life.” Before riding for the $25,000 in added
money at The Run For A Million in Las Vegas, cowboys from some of the United States’ most historic ranches will be invited to a Cowboy Clinic to freshen up their skills. The following historic ranches are among those invited to send cowboys for the inaugural event: 6666 Ranch, Guthrie, Texas; Bogle Ltd., Dexter, New Mexico; R.A. Brown Ranch, Throckmorton, Texas; King Ranch, Kingsville, Texas; San Lucas Ranch, Santa Ynez, California; Singleton Ranches, Lamy, New Mexico; Stuart Ranch, Caddo, Oklahoma; Tongue River Ranch, Dumont, Texas; Wagonhound Land & Livestock, Douglas, Wyoming; and Waggoner Ranch, Vernon, Texas. Keep an eye on nrcha.com for updates on who will throw a hat in the ring in Las Vegas. The NRCHA is excited to support The Run For A Million as the sanctioning body and partner for the reined cow horse portions of the competition. At the event, the NRCHA will host autograph sessions with the 16 qualified Cow Horse Challenge riders and the Cowboy Invitational riders, where event attendees can get to know reined cow horse’s brightest stars and connect with our ranching roots. For more information on the event or how to purchase tickets, visit trfam. com.
