During The Run For A Million 2023 riders had the opportunity to qualify for next year’s $1 Million event. Andrea Fappani did just that when he won the Open Shootout on All Bettss Are Off (Colonels Smoking Gun x Wimpys Little Chic x Wimpys Little Step).
The EquiStat Elite $8 Million Rider rode Trash Talkin Spook to a tied eighth place finish at The Run For A Million (TRFAM) Million Dollar Championship in 2023. He also took the reserve champion title at The American Performance Horseman on Trash Talkin Spook (Gunnatrashya x I Spook x Smart Spook) adding $75,000 to his record for that ride.
He and All Bettss Are Off marked a 229 and earned $28,833 during the TRFAM Open Shootout, keeping him on track for yet another stellar year. All Bettss Are Off also carried Fappani to the Reserve Champion title during the 2022 Open Shootout.
The 2017 Sorrel stallion by Gunner was the 2020 National Reining Horse Association Open Futurity Champion and is now the earner of $422,758 according to EquiStat.
Five other riders also qualified in Las Vegas this month, and another ten riders will qualify during next year’s Cactus Classic reining as well as Equita Lyon.
Equita Lyon will host the first and only international TRFAM qualifier in Lyon, France on November 4, 2023. Only the champion from Equita Lyon’s qualifier will be eligible to compete in the Million Dollar Championship in 2024.
TRFAM 2024 Qualifiers from the Open Shootout
Riders who qualified for the 2024 Million Dollar Championship and the *horse they rode in the qualifier.
- Andrea Fappani (All Bettss Are Off)
- Jason Vanlandingham (Gunnabebigtime)
- Dany Tremblay (All Guns On Crush)
- Cade McCutcheon (Good Time To Trashya, Trash Your Gal**)
- Craig Schmersal (Dun it For Whizkey)
- Casey Deary (Customize My Dream)
* Riders do not have to ride the same horse at The Run For A Million that they rode in the qualifier. The rules allow them to ride any bridle horse of their choosing.
**Although Cade McCutcheon had two horses in the top eight of the Open Shootout, a rider can only qualify for the Million Dollar Championship once per year.
