Thursday Night • South Point Arena, Las Vegas

Cutting Horse Challenge

$250,000 • One Go • August 13

The National Cutting Horse Association's best riders and horses go head-to-head, one go, for lucrative prize money and awards.

Watch Live From $29 Meet The Field
$250,000On The Line
15Qualified Riders
One GoNo Second Round
Aug 13Thursday • 7:30 PM
Doors open 4:30 PM
Non Pro Cutting Challenge 6:00 PM
Cutting Horse Challenge 7:30 PM
Full week: Official Schedule

The Format

Fifteen riders. One go. Thursday night decides it.

In 2026 the Cutting Horse Challenge brings some of the National Cutting Horse Association's best riders and horses to go head-to-head, one go, for lucrative prize money and awards.

There is no second round and no averaging. Every rider walks to the herd once, under the lights, with $250,000 on the line. The field earned its way here through the 2025 Brazos Bash, and the roster reads like a who's who of the cutting pen.

The Challenge headlines Thursday night at South Point Arena, following the Non Pro Cutting Challenge at 6:00 PM.

The Field

Qualified riders

Fifteen earned the trip to Las Vegas.

15 Qualified • 2025 Brazos Bash
AB
Adan Banuelos
Weatherford, Texas
MB
Monty Buntin
Lincoln, California
CC
Cullen Chartier
Weatherford, Texas
MC
Michael Cooper
Weatherford, Texas
BD
Bradey Davis
Texarkana, Texas
BG
Beau Galyean
Fort Worth, Texas
WG
Wesley Galyean
Ardmore, Oklahoma
TP
Tosten Peterson
Scottsdale, Arizona
KP
Kenny Platt
Fort Lupton, Colorado
KP
Kory Pounds
Weatherford, Texas
KP
Kody Porterfield
Weatherford, Texas
TR
Tarin Rice
Poolville, Texas
SS
Spud Sheehan
Weatherford, Texas
AS
Austin Shepard
Summerdale, Alabama
CS
Cade Shepard
Summerdale, Alabama

The Sport

What is cutting?

The term cutting refers to the act of separating one cow from a herd of cattle. The sport involves a horse, a rider, and a herd. Cattle are herd animals, and one cow will instinctively try to return to the group. Keeping it away requires incredible intelligence and physical ability on the part of the horse.

This is the only equine competition where the horse is required to think for itself.

First • The Cut

Into the herd

The horse and rider quietly ride into the herd, select one cow, and cut it off from the group, letting the unpicked cattle return to the herd behind them.

Then • Reins Down

The rider lets go

Once the cow is separated, the rider is no longer allowed to use the reins. From this moment, the run belongs to the horse.

Finally • The Hold

The horse takes over

A trained cutting horse thinks on its own, anticipating and reacting to every move the cow makes to keep it from rejoining the herd, until the rider decides to let it go.

Judges score each run on many factors, including degree of difficulty and how well the horse anticipates and reacts. The Run For A Million is the richest event in the history of reining and the most exciting and thrilling event in cow horse and cutting.

Thursday • August 13 • 7:30 PM

Fifteen riders. One cow at a time. A quarter million on the line.

Every run streams live from South Point Arena.

Watch Live From $29 Official Schedule