Qualification
Process

16 Qualifiers · Three Roads In

Million Dollar Reining

5 Qualifiers • The Shootout at TRFAM 2026 • No Ties

These five riders qualified for The Run For A Million 2027 in The Shootout.

Qualified

• CDCasey Deary
• GBGabriel Borges
• LFLuca Fappani
• JVJason Vanlandingham
• PDPeter Defreitas

10 Qualifiers • The Qualifier at Bosque Ranch • May 22

Ten riders will qualify for TRFAM 2027 at The Qualifier at Bosque Ranch on May 22. Any ties that would advance more than 10 riders will be run off.

1 Qualifier • Brazil • May 24–31, 2027

One rider (ties will be run off) from the Qualifier in Brazil, held in Avaré, São Paulo, May 24–31, 2027. The qualifier, with $1 million Brazilian reais added, takes place in conjunction with an event hosted at the Alameda Dante Teza venue and is managed by the Associação Nacional do Cavalo de Rédeas.

New For 2027 · It Will Be Necessary To Qualify

The Shootout

Top 30 Runs • The Qualifier at Bosque Ranch • May 22 • Plus Ties

It will be necessary to qualify for The Shootout at The Run For A Million 2027. The top 30 runs and ties in The Qualifier in 2027 will qualify riders for The Shootout. Riders may earn more than one Shootout slot by earning multiple placings.

Top 5 • The Shootout at TRFAM 2027 • Ties Run Off

The top five riders in The Shootout at The Run For A Million 2027 will qualify for the 2028 TRFAM.

Direct Qualification + Semi-Finals

Non Pro Reining Challenge

Top 10 • The Non Pro Qualifier • May 19 • No Ties

The top 10 Non Pro riders (no ties) at The Qualifier will qualify for the Non Pro Challenge at The Run For A Million 2027 in Las Vegas, without competing at the Semi-Finals at the 2027 NRHA Derby.

Roads to the Semi-Finals

The next ten Non Pros plus ties qualify directly for the Semi-Finals at the 2027 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel. Other Non Pro riders qualify by finishing in the top 5 of qualifiers around the country, or in the top five at the Last Chance Qualifier at the 6666 NRHA Derby.

Semi-Finals • 6666 NRHA Derby

At the TRFAM Semi-Finals, the top 25 scores and ties advance to The Run For A Million 2027. These scores come from the Non Pro [2] class on June 20, or from the preliminary round of the Non Pro Derby.

Designation rule: Non Pro riders who have qualified for the 6666 NRHA Derby Non Pro Semi-Finals presented by Markel may choose to compete at the Semi-Finals on their Derby-entered horses in the Non Pro preliminary round, or by competing in the Non Pro [2] on Sunday, June 20, as their Semi-Finals. The designation must be made before the start of the Non Pro Derby preliminary round.

Three Steps to Las Vegas

Rookie 1, Rookie 2 & Youth Reining Challenge

Advancing to Las Vegas from the Semi-Finals

Important considerations: Eligibility for the Semi-Final Qualifying Events is based on NRHA eligibility at the time of the event. However, eligibility to compete at the 2027 TRFAM Semi-Finals is based on the eligibility of the rider as of January 1, 2027. For example, a rider may qualify for the Rookie 1 Semi-Finals in 2026 but be ineligible for Rookie 1 in 2027 due to earnings. It is the responsibility of the contestant to monitor earnings.

15 Qualifiers · The Brazos Bash at Bosque Ranch

$250,000 Cutting Challenge

15 Qualifiers • The Brazos Bash • No Ties

The Cutting Challenge Qualifier for the 2027 The Run For A Million is held at the 2026 Brazos Bash, September 28 – October 13, 2026. Any age horse is eligible. If the horse is 3, 4, 5/6, or 7 & up, their first go-round score in the open counts as their qualifying run. The riders with the top 15 scores entered in the qualifier advance to the 2027 The Run For A Million.

Tie breaker: calculated by adding the scores of all five judges together. If a tie remains, a runoff will be held. No monies are paid out at the Brazos Bash in the qualifier. After riders qualify, they will be sent information on how to enter The Run For A Million.

15 Qualifiers · The Winter Bash at Bosque Ranch

$125,000 Non Pro Cutting Challenge

15 Qualifiers • The Winter Bash • No Ties

The Winter Bash, held at Bosque Ranch January 27 – February 10, 2027, is the Non Pro Cutting qualifying event for The Run For A Million 2027. Only the top 15 riders from the Winter Bash earn a spot in the $125,000-added Non Pro Cutting Horse Challenge.

Riders qualify through designated classes, such as the 4-Year-Old Non Pro and 7 & Up Non Pro go-rounds, held during the Winter Bash.

After you qualify, you will be sent information on how to enter The Run For A Million.

Three Qualifying Events

$250,000 Cow Horse Challenge

NRCHA Hackamore Classic • Tulsa, OK • July 12–18, 2026

Qualified

• RGRyan Gallentine
• MKMatt Koch
• BRBoyd Rice
• LDLee Deacon
• CWCayley Wilson

NSHA Futurity & Derby • Las Vegas, NV • Aug 18–23, 2026

Riders must enter either the Open Bridle Entry or World’s Richest. Only rein work and cow work count for final placings.

Qualified

• SSShane Steffen
• PRPhillip Ralls
• RERon Emmons
• SPShadd Parkinson
• CCCorey Cushing

NRCHA Derby • Scottsdale, AZ • May 26 – June 6, 2027

Riders must enter the NRCHA Open Bridle class to be eligible to enter the TRFAM Open Bridle Qualifier at the qualifying event.

Ties: there shall be no ties in the top five qualifiers. In the event of a tie, the rider with the higher cow work score is ranked higher. If a tie still remains, a cow work-only runoff determines the final placing.

One Qualifying Event · Fort Worth, TX

Youth Cow Horse Challenge

One Qualifying Event • Fort Worth, TX

The TRFAM Youth Qualifying Event is held at the NRCHA World’s Greatest Youth Horseman Finals, February 13–27, 2027, in Fort Worth, Texas.

To qualify for the TRFAM Youth Cow Horse Challenge, youth riders must reach the Finals of the NRCHA World’s Greatest Youth Horseman.

Ties in the TRFAM Youth Qualifying Event will be accepted, and all finalists, including those tied, qualify to compete in the TRFAM Youth Cow Horse Challenge.

Ten Invited Ranches · One Cowboy Each

Ten invited ranches send their best cowboy

The Cowboy Heritage Ranch Challenge presented by Markel brings ten cowboys, one per ranch, from some of the most storied heritage ranches in North America to The Run For A Million.

These are working cowboys on ranch horses, not show-pen specialists. Each competes a traditional reining and cow work run, then stops a steer, with $30,000 on the line and a ranch’s name on every ride.