Cow Horse at The American

An innovative, inaugural event turns the spotlight on Western performance horsemen in 2023.

The top three Western performance horse events are headed to The American Rodeo in an unprecedented new event, The American Performance Horseman, debuting on Friday, March 10, 2023, at Globe Life Field. Reined cow horse, in addition to cutting and reining, will be included in Teton Ridges’ 2023 The American Rodeo event in Arlington, Texas, as part of its 10th anniversary celebration.

The announcement came during the 2022 The Run For A Million event on the same day the Cow Horse Challenge and Cowboy Invitational occurred, maximizing the impact of the announcement’s reception. Several of the cow horse competitors in the running to qualify for The American Performance Horseman were also competing that nigh

How is it going to work? The top five year-end money earning professionals in cutting, reined cow horse and reining will come together to compete for $1,000,000 in prize money in a competitive exhibition format. The highest show earnings from the

Representatives from rodeo and performance horse associations joined for the American Performanc e Horseman announcement at The Run for a Million. 2022 show season, as tracked by each association, will determine the top five. Standings will be finalized and announced following each discipline’s 2022 Futurity event. Fusing the elements of history and competition, The American Performance Horseman is an ode to the past, present and future of the Western performance horse sports. Riders will compete for team and individual prize money but most COURTESY OF TETON RIDGE

importantly, the prestigious title of champion as part of The American Rodeo weekend festivities.

“The American Rodeo is an unrivaled celebration of the American West and represents the richest weekend in all of Western sports,” said Joe Loverro, President of Teton Ridge Sports. “As Teton Ridge continues to make great strides to bring the iconic events in the Western industry to a broader audience on an elevated platform, it was only natural to create an event to pay homage to the most prestigious competitors in Western performance sports and their incredible equine athletes.”

The American Performance Horseman is the creation and vision of Teton Ridge. It elevates Western equine sports through multiple platforms, with innovative and interactive technology. The prestigious competitive exhibition is supported by the American Quarter Horse Association, American Paint Horse Association, National Reining Horse Association, National Cutting Horse Association and the National Reined Cow Horse Association. All are excited for their respective communities to be celebrated and showcased in this unparalleled and innovative format. “The American Performance Horseman isn’t another horse show, it’s a celebration of Western horse sport and our athletes at the highest level,” stated NRCHA Executive Director Anna Morrison. “With a shortened format showcasing the top five riders of the year in each discipline, it will pack the excitement of our industry’s top talent in an hour-long production that will bring the sports we love to an entirely new audience.”

This event offers fans a groundbreaking new way to embrace and support the legacy of the American West. For more information, visit americanrodeo.com.