Pattern 12, 8:00 AM
Circles, turns, and stops on an NRCHA pattern, judged maneuver by maneuver. Precision first, before any cow enters the picture.
13181 Hwy 177
Byars, OK 74831
Office: (580) 301-6969
8am to 4:30pm CST
Thursday And Friday • South Point Arena, Las Vegas
Youth Cow Horse Challenge
Rein Work + Cow Work • August 13 And 14
The top finalists from the 2026 Western Bloodstock World's Greatest Youth Horseman bring the next generation of cow horse to Las Vegas: rein work Thursday morning, cow work under the Friday night lights.
WGYHFinalists Invited
Pattern 12NRCHA Rein Work
Aug 13Rein Work • 8:00 AM
Aug 14Cow Work • 6:30 PM
The Format
The next generation takes the big stage.
The Youth Cow Horse Challenge invites the top finalists from the 2026 Western Bloodstock World's Greatest Youth Horseman to compete in Las Vegas in August, on the same dirt where the professionals run for a million.
The Challenge runs in two parts: rein work Thursday morning at 8:00 AM on NRCHA Pattern 12, and cow work Friday evening at 6:30 PM, right in the middle of the stacked Friday night slate.
The field draws positions Wednesday at the Draw Parties presented by Mars Equestrian, and the Youth Cow Horse Challenge Awards Ceremony follows the Breakaway Roping Showcase presented by Shorty's Caboy Hattery Award Ceremony on the Live Festival Stage Friday.
The Field
Qualified riders
The next generation earned the trip to Las Vegas.
11 Qualified • World's Greatest Youth HorsemanCA
Caden Allen
TA
Taylor Allen
DC
Darby Callahan
WC
Westin Clearwater
CH
Cole Hawk
KH
Kassady Helsen
CJ
Colt Jesperson
JK
Jack Kimes
LL
Landri Lisac
LS
Levi Swales
BW
Boyd Wilson
The Format
Two jobs, one total
Reined cow horse asks a young rider for two very different things on two different days: a precise, judged reining pattern with nothing but the horse to manage, and then a live cow that has its own ideas.
The next generation of cow horse, on the sport's biggest stage.
Under the night lights
A single cow enters the pen and the young rider goes to work, holding and handling it in the middle of the stacked Friday night slate.
Two scores, one champion
The rein work and the cow work come together in one total, and the awards follow Friday on the Live Festival Stage.
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, and the Youth Cow Horse Challenge puts its future on the same dirt.
Thursday And Friday • August 13 And 14
The future of cow horse runs this week.
Every run streams live from South Point Arena.