In an exciting twist, The Run For A Million (TRFAM) is hosting a cutting competition in 2023.
More than 200 horses entered in the sole qualifying competition at the Brazos Bash, which was held Oct. 4-6 at TRFAM founder Taylor Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch, in Weatherford, Texas.
The competition was open to horses of any age, with some riders choosing 3-year-olds and others riding veteran older cutting horses.
The qualifying was based on the first-go-round score of these horses’ limited age event competitions and all horses age 7 and older were placed in the 7-Year-Old Open class. If a rider was entered into the derby and TRFAM qualifier, their first-go-round score would count towards the qualification.
With ties, eleven riders punched their ticket to Las Vegas in 2023, with EquiStat Elite $9 Million Rider Matt Gaines earning the highest score aboard Driven Miss Sallie.
Qualifying for the TRFAM cutting event is based on the rider, not the horse. Although riders can choose to ride the same horse at next year’s TRFAM that they rode in the qualifier at the Brazos Bash, they could ultimately choose a different mount. In the TRFAM’s Million Dollar Competition for reiners and Fence Work Challenge for reined cow horses, qualified riders had a number of horses on their short list for their respective big event in Las Vegas.
Here are The Run For A Million cutting qualifiers and the horse they rode at the Brazos Bash:
Matt Gaines
Rider Earnings: $9,682,8152
Horse: Driven Miss Sally 15 M (Hydrive Cat x Mylanta Lano x Mylanta Lena)
Horse Earnings: $135,541
Score: 225
Tarin Rice
Rider Earnings: $3,097,531
Horse: Catolena Cashin In 17 S (Reyzin The Cash x Dual Catolena x High Brow Cat)
Horse Earnings: $251,067
Score: 224
Wesley Galyean
Rider Earnings: $5,057,584
Horse: Nineteen 42 19 S (Hottish x Lil Rattler x Dual Rey)
Horse Earnings: $19,886
Score: 224
Adan Banuelos
Rider Earnings: $5,727,633
Horse: Hottish Metal 18 S (Hottish x Snow Me The Rey x Metallic Cat)
Horse Earnings: $244,129
Score: 224
Matt Miller
Rider Earnings: $4,151,879
Horse: Metallic Smart Cat 13 G (Metallic Cat x Smart Jerri Lee x Smart Little Jerry)
Horse Earnings: $239,620
Score: 223.5
Austin Shepard
Rider Earnings: $9,436,710
Horse: Wood She B Magic 18 M (Woody Be Tuff x Magic Metallic x Metallic Cat)
Horse LTE: $232,799
Score: 223
Michael Cooper
Rider Earnings: $4,330,373
Horse: Ripping Ichi 12 G (Cat Ichi x Kodoboomba x Kodo)
Horse Earnings: $303,469
Score: 222.5
Lloyd Cox
Rider Earnings: $11,030,813
Horse: Blackish 14 M (Hottish x SS Blacks Lil Kitty x Blue Bayou Boon)
Horse Earnings: $223,262
Score: 222.5
Kenny Platt
Rider Earnings: $2,578,725
Horse: Dr Sueish 16 G (Hottish x Sues So Smart x WR This Cats Smart)
Horse Earnings: $245,023
Score: 222
Monty Buntin
Rider EarningsE: $2,221,509
Horse: Steel Betty 14 M (Metallic Cat x Betty Greyble x Stylish Rey)
Horse Earnings: $212,610
Score: 222
Clay Johnson
Rider Earnings: $1,514,319
Horse: Rosalitta 2018 M (Metallic Cat x GS Counting On Kitty x Im Countin Checks)
Horse Earnings: $81,381
Score: 222
