Las Vegas has a way of doing things big — and The Run for a Million 2025 at the South Point Hotel Arena and Equestrian Center was no exception. This was the fifth year for Taylor Sheridan’s equestrian showcase, which first galloped onto the scene in 2019, and it’s only grown in stature since.
For horse people, this event is the Super Bowl, the Kentucky Derby, and a Vegas residency all rolled into one. Sheridan’s name is all over it — as the creator of Yellowstone and The Last Cowboy, he’s turned western horse competitions into must-see TV, and in Las Vegas, into a true spectacle.
Photo courtesy of “The Run for a Million,” Carolyn Simancik, photograher
A Week of Competition
The week featured everything from amateur and non-pro classes to high-stakes professional contests, but the big crowd-pleasers were the Cutting Horse Challenge, the Cow Horse Challenge, and the Million Dollar Reining. Each event has its own flavor, and together they show off the remarkable athleticism and partnership between horse and rider.
In cutting, for instance, the rider has to separate a cow from the herd and keep it out. Sounds simple until you realize cows really, really don’t like being separated. Thursday night’s $200,000 Cutting Horse Challenge had the stands buzzing, with Michael Cooper on Bella Louella taking the top spot. Ten riders shared in a $220,000 purse, but it was Cooper’s teamwork with his horse that brought the win.
Photo courtesy of “The Run for a Million,” Carolyn Simancik, photograher
Friday night was the Cow Horse Challenge. It’s as thrilling—and nerve-wracking—as any event I’ve ever seen. Fourteen riders worked single cows at full speed, making them sprint along the rail before turning them on a dime, then circling them with precision. Some cows were downright uncooperative, which made for tense, unpredictable moments. The crowd was all in for Abbie Phillips on Peptos Stylin Time, and she didn’t disappoint. She edged out second place by just half a point to win $200,000, and the roar in the arena when her score was announced said it all. It was one of those performances that reminds you that the Wild West is still alive and kicking.
Photo courtesy of “The Run for a Million,” Carolyn Simancik, photograher
Then came Saturday night’s crown jewel: the Million Dollar Reining Contest. If cutting and cow horse are about control in chaos, reining is all about precision, grace, and raw horsepower. It looks a little like gymnastics on horseback, with riders guiding their horses through circles, spins, and precision riding. For the first time in the event’s history, the winner came from outside North America: Arnaud Girinon of France on Flexing Guns N Town. His performance was flawless, enough to edge out American favorites and take home an impressive $500,000 first prize. The international flavor was strong this year, with riders from the U.S., Canada, Germany, and France, but it was Girinon’s night to shine.
Beyond the Arena
Of course, no big Vegas event is complete without music, food, and shopping. The vendor booths at South Point offered everything from cowboy hats to western bling, while the stage hosted live music all week. Saturday night’s headliner was Flatland Cavalry, with earlier sets from Danno Simpson, Ward Davis, Karley Scott Collins, and Waylon Wyatt. It gave the whole event a festival vibe — half rodeo, half honky-tonk, and all Las Vegas.
And because this is Sheridan’s show, there were plenty of nods to his TV empire. Mentions of The Last Cowboy and the upcoming Landman popped up throughout the weekend, a reminder of how closely this event is tied to his storytelling world.
One quirky addition I didn’t catch in person was the “Jump for a Million” dock-diving dog competition. Sixteen dogs, each representing one of the reining riders, went airborne in the Priefert 2 Arena, with the longest leap taking the win. It’s pure Vegas to add dogs into the mix — because why not?
Photo courtesy of “The Run for a Million,” Carolyn Simancik, photograher
Why It Matters
What struck me most this year is how The Run for a Million has become more than just an event. It’s a showcase of western tradition and horsemanship, yes, but it’s also a celebration of the bond between horse and rider, of cowboy grit, and of the unpredictability of working with animals that don’t always want to play along.
It’s also a place where stories are written in real time. Cooper reclaiming glory in the cutting pen. Phillips winning the crowd and the purse in cow horse. Girinon making history for France in reining. Each of those wins had its own drama, and together they made for a week that felt bigger than life.
Final Thoughts
If you love horses, competition, or just good old-fashioned western spectacle, The Run for a Million should be on your bucket list. Even if you can catch only one event in person, the atmosphere is unforgettable. And with live streams, Facebook highlights, and wall-to-wall coverage, it’s easier than ever to keep up virtually. The South Point Arena & Equestrian Center is a gem that sometimes gets overlooked by locals. There are shows throughout the year, that are often free to watch. I think of the coolest things about the Equestrian Center is that there are 1200 air conditioned stalls for horses and other critters under the parking garage. This year’s attendance topped 5,000 over the week-long event.
By the time the last horse left the arena Saturday night, it was clear: The Run for a Million isn’t just holding its own in the crowded Vegas event calendar — it’s carving out its place as one of the city’s signature shows.
