08/31/2025
The Run For A Million announces new qualifying process and the Bosque Ranch Shootout for the OPEN…
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐀 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
6666 𝘕𝘙𝘏𝘈 𝘋𝘦𝘳𝘣𝘺® 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘘𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘳
Organizers of The Run For a Million have announced a new qualifying format set to debut for the 2026 event, with the 6666 Ranch NRHA - National Reining Horse Association Derby® presented by Markel Horse playing a pivotal role as the official Semi-Final competition for Rookie, Youth, and Non Pro divisions. The NRHA Derby will also give TRFAM hopefuls one last chance to earn a spot in the Semi-Finals.
The updated system introduces a streamlined, two-step path to the TRFAM, giving riders around the world an expanded opportunity to qualify while spotlighting premier reining events.
𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟏 - 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐑𝐅𝐀𝐌 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢-𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬
Rookie, Youth, and Non Pro Divisions
• 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣: Qualifying begins in 2025 and closes May 31, 2026, except for the 2026 NRHA Derby® Last Chance Qualifier.
o Qualification for the 2027 TRFAM is June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027, except for the 2026 NRHA Derby®, which is a 2026 qualifier.
• 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚: TRFAM Semi-Final Qualifying Events nationwide (projected to mirror the 2024–25 calendar). This will include the “Last Chance” Semi-Final Qualifying Events at the 2026 NRHA Derby.
o The first slate of Non Pro, Rookie 1, Rookie 2, and Youth classes at the NRHA Derby® will serve as the Last Chance Qualifier for those divisions. All other rules apply.
• 𝙃𝙤𝙬: TRFAM Semi-Final Qualifiers will run concurrently with the corresponding ancillary classes, with all exhibitors required to be entered in the corresponding NRHA class. The top five riders from each slate in each division (plus ties) advance to the Semi-Finals at the 2026 NRHA Derby.®
• 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 2026 TRFAM Semi-Finals is based on the eligibility of the rider as of January 1, 2026.
o For example, a rider may compete in and qualify for the Rookie 1 Semi-Finals in 2025 but be ineligible for Rookie 1 in 2026 due to earnings. This rider would be ineligible to compete in the Rookie 1 at the 2026 TRFAM Semi-Finals. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬.
𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟐 - 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢-𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐍𝐑𝐇𝐀 𝐃𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐲 (𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲)
Semi-Final runs will take place concurrently with the corresponding NRHA Derby® ancillary classes, with all exhibitors required to be entered in the matching NRHA class.
• Youth Semi-Finals – Runs with Unrestricted Youth [2]
• Rookie 1 Semi-Finals – Runs with Rookie Level 1 [2]
• Rookie 2 Semi-Finals – Runs with Rookie Level 2 [2]
• For Non Pro contestants only: As many Non Pro contestants may choose to compete at the Semi-Finals on their Derby-entered horses, they must designate either the Non Pro preliminary round OR the Non Pro [2] on Sunday, June 21, as their Semi-Finals. The designation must be made before the start of the Non Pro Derby preliminary round. The Top 30 (plus ties) scores for Semi-Final riders across both the Non Pro Derby Preliminary and the Non Pro [2] will advance to the 2026 TRFAM.
Riders advancing to the TRFAM in Las Vegas include:
• Rookie 1: Top 20 + ties
• Rookie 2: Top 20 + ties
• Non Pro: Top 30 + ties
• Youth: Top 10 + ties
𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟑 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐀 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟗-𝟏𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, 𝐋𝐚𝐬 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐬)
Finalists will face off in Las Vegas on one of reining’s most prestigious stages, competing for record payouts, career-defining recognition, and a place in TRFAM history.
The Run For A Million organizers have also announced the spring qualifier for the TRFAM Million Dollar Competition:
• The Bosque Ranch Shootout will be held at Bosque Ranch, separate from Rookie, Youth, and Non Pro qualifying events. The Top 10* riders from this event will advance to the TRFAM Million Dollar Competition in Las Vegas, Nevada, joining the five qualifiers from the 2025 TRFAM $100k Open Shootout, and the single qualifier from the 2025 Equita Lyon in Lyon, France.
o *In 2026, only nine riders will advance from the Bosque Ranch Shootout, as 2025 qualifier, NRHA Million Dollar Rider Fernando Salgado, was unable to compete due to injury. Event owner, Taylor Sheridan, along with event management, announced he would be able to use that qualification for the 2026 TRFAM.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐀 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧
Making its debut in 2019, The Run For A Million has changed the face of elite Western performance events. Held annually in August at the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center, TRFAM now highlights several disciplines in the Western Performance Horse industry, and culminates with the Million Dollar Reining, where more than $1,000,000 is paid out to 16 of the world’s most talented reining trainers.
For more information about The Run For A Million, visit TheRunForAMillion.com or call 580-301-6969.
