The Run For A Million Reined Cow Horse Fence Work Challenge is back and better than ever. In its inaugural year the event paid $150,000, since then the purse has been raised to $200,000. Have a deeper look at the horses the qualified riders are taking to Las Vegas. Earnings and career highlights powered by EquiStat.
Boyd Rice
Pedigree: 13S (Bet Hesa Cat x Ginnin Attraction x Tanquery Gin)
Earnings: $145,846
Career Highlights: AQHA Senior Working Cow Horse Reserve World Champion, NRCHA Derby Open Two-Rein Spectacular Reserve Champion, World’s Greatest Horseman Open Finalist (Herd Work Champion)
Pedigree: 16S (WR This Cats Smart x Sunshine Ingredient x Mr Sun O Lena)
Earnings: $87,415
Career Highlights: 2021, NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open Reserve Champion, 2021 NRCHA Celebration of Champions Novice Horse Open Derby Champion, 2023 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open Bridle Spectacular finalist, 2023 NRCHA Hackamore Classic Open Bridle Spectacular Finalist
Barn Name: Geronimo
Tyler Merrill
Pedigree: 14S (Bet Hesa Cat x Flo N Blu Boon x Pretty Boy Boon)
Earnings: $120,730
Career Highlights: 2018 & 2019 NSHA RCH Open Derby Champion, 2023 Worlds Greatest Horseman Finalist, 2018 NRCHA Intermediate Open Stakes Reserve Champion, 2018 NRCHA Stakes Novice Horse Open Champion
Barn Name: Boon
Abbie Phillips
Peptos Stylin Time
Pedigree: 15S (One Time Pepto x Stylin Jewel x Docs Stylish Oak)
Earnings: $106,884
Career Highlights: 2023 Worlds Greatest Horseman Open Fence Work Co-Reserve Champion, 2023 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open Bridle Co-Reserve Champion, Intermediate Champion, 2019 NRCHA Intermediate Open Derby Champion
Barn Name: Stylin
Bed Head Cat
Pedigree: (Wild Haired Cat x Isabellena x Quejanaisalena)
Earnings: $92,738
Career Highlights: Worlds Greatest Horseman Finalist 2021 & 2019, NSHA NonPro Bridle Spectacular Champion, numerous bridle championships
Barn Name: Lil Joe
Abbie: “They’re just my good boys.”
Kelby Phillips
Pedigree: 15S (Dual Rey x Shes Twice As Smooth x Smooth As A Cat)
Earnings: $145,343
Career Highlights: NRCHA Celebration of Champions Open Derby Reserve Champion, NRCHA Novice Horse Open Derby Champion, NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open Bridle Spectacular Co-Reserve Champion, NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman Open finalist
Barn Name: Cholo
Pedigree: 13G (Dual Smart Rey x TRR Ms Pepcid Olena x Pepcid)
Earnings: $282,438
Career Highlights: 2016 Open Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion, Reserve Champion Worlds Greatest Horseman 202, Run For A Million Cow Horse Challenge competitor 2021
Lee Deacon
Back In The Blue
Pedigree: 16G (Metallic Cat x Shinin Melody x Peppys Boy 895)
Earnings: $31,455
Career Highlights: The Run For A Million Qualifier Hackamore Classic 3rd, Arizona Sun Circuit Open Two-Rein Champion, Stallion Stakes Two-Rein Spectacular Finalist
Pedigree: 16S (Smooth As A Cat x Shiners Little Oak x Shining Spark)
Earnings: $113,535
Career Highlights: The American Performance Horseman Competitor, Open Hackamore World Champion 2021, NRCHA Western Derby Two-Rein Top 10 2022
Lee: “I’m stoked to get qualified and get to compete on that stage with some of my closest friends”
Phillip Ralls
Pedigree: 11S (Metallic Cat x Miss Hickory Hill x Docs Hickory)
Earnings: $424,843
Career Highlights: 2023 Worlds Greatest Horseman Champion, 2014 NSHA Open Futurity Champion, 2016 NSHA Open Derby Champion, 2022 Worlds Greatest Horseman Reserve Champion, 2018 Worlds Greatest Horseman Reserve Champion
Barn Name: Mitch
Short N Catt
Pedigree: 11G (Sophisticated Catt x Shortys Sugar Sue x Shorty Lena)
Earnings: $113,485
Career Highlights: 2022 Stallion Stakes Bridle Spectacular Champion, 2022 NSHA Novice Horse Bridle Reserve Champion, 2020 Western Derby Open Bridle Champion, 2019 Western Derby Open Bridle Champion
Barn Name: Jack
Phillip: “They’re my road warriors. They’ve been hauled a bunch together, stalled next to each other, campaigned with each other,” Phillip said. “They’ve both been great horses for me.”
Sarah Dawson
Pedigree: 17M (Smart Chic Olena, Shiney Tari, Shining Spark)
Earnings: $175,895
Career Highlights: NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity finalist, 2021 NRCHA Eastern Derby Reserve Champion, 2023 Western Derby Open Bridle Spectacular Champion, 2023 Western Derby Open Two-Rein Spectacular Champion, 2023 The Run For A Million Qualification x2
Barn Name: Trudy
Chris Dawson
Shine Smarter
Pedigree: 12M (WR This Cats Smart x Shiney Tari x Shining Spark)
Earnings: $341,637
Career Highlights: 2023 The American Performance Horseman Reined Cow Horse Champion, 2017 Hackamore Classic Open Hackamore Champion, 2018 NSHA Bridle Spectacular Reserve Champion, 2018 NRCHA Western Derby Two Rein Spectacular Reserve Champion
One Time Melody
Pedigree: 17M (One Time Pepto x Reys Stressin Melody x Reys Dual Badger)
Earnings: $11,177
Career Highlights: 2020 NRCHA Eastern Derby Snaffle Bit Finalist, 2023 NRCHA World Championship Show Two Rein 6th
Chris: “Russell [Dilday] doesn’t know shes [One Time Melody] my backup yet, but after her 224.5 down the fence today I think she better be in Vegas”
Justin Wright
Pedigree: 15S (Kit Kat Sugar x Scooters Daisy Dukes x Dual Smart Rey)
Earnings: $451,216
Career Highlights: 2023 Run For A Million Qualifier, 2022 National Reserve Champion Bridle Horse, 2018 NSHA Open Futurity Champion, Stallion Stakes Open Derby Champion 2019 & 2020, Western Derby Open Champion 2020, 2022 NSHA Worlds Richest Stock Horse Open Bridle Champion
Justin: “I don’t want to name a backup because that’s bad luck and I don’t want to jinx anything.”
Clayton Edsall
Pedigree: 14S (Bet Hesa Cat x Sparking Train x Shining Spark)
Earnings: $229,397
Career Highlights: 2019 NRCHA Hackamore Classic Champion, 2019 NRCHA Open Derby Champion, 2020 NRCHA Western Derby Open Two Rein Spectacular Champion
Edsall: “He’s just been a great horse for us. I bought him as a yearling and sold him in the two year old sale, and Katherine Phillips purchased him and sent him back with us. Ever since then he’s just been a really good horse and extremely good horse for our program.”
Randy Paul
CD Highlights
Pedigree: 12S (High Brow CD x Go Little Starlight x Grays Starlight)
Earnings: $155,922
Career Highlights: NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Finalist, NSHA Futurity Finalist, 2016 Hackamore Classic Reserve Champion, Reining By The Bay L1 Reserve Champion, NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Two Rein Champion 2018, NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open Bridle Champion 2019
Paul: “I’ve had him since he was a two-year-old and he’s just been a wonderful horse. I feel pretty confident that if I got a decent cow he’d give me a chance.”
Shane Steffen
Sprinkld Confetticat
Pedigree: 15M (WR This Cats Smart x PPH Especial Nitro x Nitro Dual Doc)
Earnings: $26,035
Career Highlights: Idaho Reined Cow Horse Association Derby Finalist, NRCHA Stallion Stakes Two Rein Finalist, NRCHA Stallion Stakes 2023 TRFAM Qualifer Reserve Champion
Steffen: “A client/friend of ours raised her and showed her in the NonPro a bit, then she sold her to another client of ours. She wanted to she how she would show in the open, so that’s how she’s been brought into the open classes.”
Very Funny Valentine
Pedigree: 15M (Very Smart Remedy x Gunnabemyvalentine x Gunna Smoke)
Earnings: $23,530
Career Highlights: NRCHA Western Derby Intermediate Open Finalist 2020, Western Derby Open Two Rein Finalist, NRCHA World Championship Show Youth Top 10, NRCHA Stallion Stakes TRFAM Qualifier 13th Place
Shawn Hays
Moonshineandtwoadvil
Pedigree: 14G (Metallic Cat xLittle Short Stuff x Shorty Lena)
Earnings: $159,470
Career Highlights: NRCHA Hackamore Classic Reserve Champion, AQHA Junior Working Cow Horse World Champion, 2020 NRCHA World Champion Open Hackamore, 2023 Western Derby TRFAM Qualifier 5th
Ron Ralls
Tabasque O
Pedigree: 15G (Metallic Cat x Nievas x Cats Merada)
Earnings: $64,830
Career Highlights: NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Finalist, NSHA Futurity Finalist, 2016 Hackamore Classic Reserve Champion, Reining By The Bay L1 Reserve Champion, NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Two Rein Champion 2018, NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open Bridle Champion 2019
One Time Edition
Pedigree: 16G (One Time Pepto x PG Special Edition x Playgun)
Earnings: $35,584
Career Highlights: 2021 Hackamore Classic Finalist, Eastern Derby Intermediate Open Finalist, Tres Osos Cow Horse Derby Intermediate Open Champion 2021
Lance Johnston
Pedigree: 16S (WR This Cats Smart x Shiney Nu Annie x Shining Spark)
Earnings: $120,463
Career Highlights: 2021 NRCHA Hackamore Classic Open Champion, 2020 NRCHA Hackamore Classic Noice Horse Open Champion, NRCHA World Champion Bridle Horse, NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open Bridle Spectacular Champion 2023
