Taylor Sheridan’s major equestrian competition will air on CBS in August 2026
Credit: David Becker/Getty; cbs
NEED TO KNOW
- Taylor Sheridan’s The Run for a Million reining competition offers a $1 million purse, with $500,000 for the winner
- The event includes additional challenges like cutting, cow horse and roping, with significant cash prizes for top competitors
- A two-hour special featuring highlights and commentary will air on CBS and Paramount+ on Aug. 22 at 8 p.m. ET
Taylor Sheridan is putting a group of real-life cowboys to the ultimate test.
His elite reining competition, The Run for a Million, features 16 riders leading their horses through a series of sliding stops, 360-degree turns and speed circles in hopes of taking home the sport’s highest honor — and the six-figure prize.
Though the riders may be motivated by the cash, that’s not what led the Yellowstone and Landman creator to develop the event in 2019.
“The goal is never to make money with The Run for a Million,” Sheridan told Bridle & Bit in 2021. “What it pays me in satisfaction to see an industry re-energized … I think the World is a better place with horses in it and people riding them.”
This year’s event was held between Aug. 11 and Aug. 15 in Las Vegas, and for the first time in its history, the highlights will air as a two-hour special on CBS on Saturday, Aug. 22.
So, what is The Run for a Million? Here’s everything to know about Taylor Sheridan’s horse sports competition, including how it works and how to watch it.
What is The Run for a Million?
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The Run for a Million is a multi-day reining competition where riders guide their horses through a “demanding pattern of circles, spins and sliding stops” in pursuit of the championship and a share of the $1 million purse, according to a press release.
Only 16 riders qualify for the million-dollar competition, and their journey to the event is chronicled in Sheridan’s CMT documentary series The Last Cowboy. The show follows riders, horses and their teams as they prepare to compete at the highest level of the professional reining industry. The 2026 Run For A Million will be featured in the series’ seventh season, set to air in fall 2026.
This year, those elite competitors include:
- Jason Vanlandingham of Whitesboro, Texas
- Andrea Fappani of Scottsdale, Ariz.
- Kole Price of Pilot Point, Texas
- Casey Deary of Weatherford, Texas
- Cade McCutcheon of Aubrey, Texas
- Gina Schumacher of Gordonville, Texas
- Dany Tremblay of Marietta, Okla.
- Gabriel Borges of Ardmore, Okla.
- Francesco Martinotti of Whitesboro, Texas
- Ben Beckett of West Mansfield, Ohio
- Trevor Dare of Purcell, Okla.
- Alessandro Frassa of Italy
- Arno Honstetter of Scottsdale, Ariz.
- Mirko Midili of Norman, Okla.
- Martin Muehlstaetter of Scottsdale, Ariz.
- Fernando Salgado of Gainesville, Texas
In addition to the reining competition, The Run for a Million also features cutting, cow horse, roping and open shootout events.
What does the winner of The Run for a Million get?
The overall purse for The Run for a Million is $1 million, and the winner of the event gets the biggest cut: $500,000. However, they’re not the only competitor to take home a big prize.
The winner of the pro cutting horse challenge — a skill in which a horse is trained to separate a single cow from a herd — gets $250,000 while the non-pro champ gets $125,000. Cow work, which is how a horse interacts with and controls cattle, offers a $250,000 prize, and the Race to the Slide first place gets $70,000.
Where is The Run for a Million held?
The 2026 Run for a Million was held at South Point Arena and Equestrian Center, Las Vegas.
Sheridan, who also serves as the executive producer of the CBS special, will host the two-hour televised event from the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas. He’ll be accompanied by commentator Francesca Sternberg, National Reining Horse Association professional Steve Ross and Million Dollar Rider Gunny Mathison.
When is The Run for a Million?
Credit: cbs
The live event was held from Aug. 11 to Aug. 15. However, the televised special — which will include highlights from the competition and commentary from Sheridan and other guests —will air on Aug. 22.
Where can I watch The Run for a Million?
The Run for a Million will air live on CBS and Paramount+ on Saturday, Aug. 22, at 8 p.m. ET. Only Paramount+ Premium subscribers will be able to watch the event live on the platform. Those with a Paramount+ Essentials account can stream it the following day.
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