Clay Volmer Leads Final 5 Cow Horse Challenge Qualifiers for The Run For A Million

For riders still looking to qualify for the Cow Horse Challenge at this year’s The Run For A Million, it all came down to Tulsa.

With two qualifiers down, the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Hackamore Classic was the last chance for reined cow horse riders to earn a spot in the discipline’s lucrative class at The Run For A Million. Clay Volmer and Ricato Sauve punched their ticket with aplomb, winning the qualifying class with style on Friday, July 26, at Tulsa Expo Square.

Volmer and the 2017 son of EquiStat Elite $70 Million Sire Metallic Cat and out of the very successful broodmare Hip Hip Sue Rey (by Dual Rey) topped the class with a composite of 446 (221 rein/225 cow). The win earned Volmer a spot in the Cow Horse Challenge at next month’s The Run For A Million.

So, just how difficult is it to be one of the 15 riders who qualify for the Cow Horse Challenge at The Run For A Million? To say the level of competition in the qualifying events is an understatement. They regularly draw some of the top money-earning horses in the history of the discipline.

“It’s terrible,” Volmer exclaimed. “It’s so hard!”

“There’s 85 of the best bridle horses in the nation,” Volmer said of the Hackamore Classic qualifier. “There’s guys coming from everywhere just to try to get qualified. It’s tough. It’s very, very tough because, like I said, there are so many good ones.”

The other four riders who joined Volmer in qualifying for The Run For A Million at the NRCHA Hackamore Classic show were Kyle Trahern, Corey Cushing, Kyle Noyce and Kelby Phillips.

In addition to this week’s Hackamore Classic, riders qualified for The Run For A Million special classes held at the 2023 National Stock Horse Association Futurity show, which Jake Telford won with Upper Class Cat, and at this year’s NRCHA Western Derby, won by Boyd Rice on Quahadi. The highest-scoring riders at each qualifying event earn a spot in the field at the Cow Horse Challenge at The Run For A Million.

Ricato Suave

While qualification for The Run For A Million is based on the rider, not the horse, Volmer’s plan is to ride Ricato Suave at the event Aug. 15-16 at the South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa in Las Vegas. In fact, he can’t wait.

Volmer competed in the inaugural Cow Horse Challenge at the 2021 The Run For A Million, the first time reined cow horse riders were included in what had been, until that year, a reining event. Contestants were chosen that first year by virtue of NRCHA earnings, and Volmer had to find a bridle horse because he didn’t have one at the time.

He’s excited to have the chance to show Ricato Suave. He’s been one of the top horses of his generation ever since the 2020 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, where he and Volmer tied for the Open Reserve Championship. He’s bee mainstay in the Open finals since then, and twice won the NRCHA Eastern Derby Open Championship. He and Volmer also were Open Reserve Champions at the 2021 NRCHA Hackamore Classic.

“I can’t even say how much he’s done for me,” Volmer said. “I’m super grateful for him.”

The stallion is owned by Shaleah Hester, of Fort Worth, Texas. Ricato Suave‘s ownership has been supportive throughout his career, something Volmer said he was extremely thankful for.

“I’m super grateful for these owners, they’ve all been so good to me,” he said.

Bred by Flag Ranch, Ricato Suave earned more than $19,080 at the NRCHA Hackamore Classic—winning the Open Bridle and Open Bridle Spectacular titles in addition to The Run For A Million qualifier. That boosted his lifetime earnings to more than $241,756 and Volmer’s to more than 887,033.

2024 Cow Horse Challenge Qualifiers

Including the five riders who earned a spot in the qualifier at the Hackamore Classic, here’s the field for the 2024 Cow Horse Challenge at The Run For A Million:

• Gusti Buerger, of Whitesboro, Texas
• Corey Cushing, of Weatherford, Texas
• Sarah Dawson, of Perrin, Texas
• Matt Koch, of Elizabeth, Colorado
• Kyle Noyce, of Blanchard, Oklahoma
• Shadd Parkinson, of Scottsdale, Arizona
• Abbie Phillips, of Weatherford, Texas
• Kelby Phillips, of Weatherford, Texas
• Boyd Rice, of Weatherford, Texas
• Shane Steffen, of Powell Butte, Oregon
• Erin Taormino, of Lipan, Texas
• Jake Telford, of Caldwell, Idaho
• Kyle Trahern, of Walsh, Colorado
• Clay Volmer, of Brock, Texas
• Justin Wright, of Santa Maria, CA

* Correction: Upper Class Cat and Jake Telford won The Run For A Million qualifier at the 2023 NSHA Futurity. The class champions were incorrectly identified in an earlier version of this story.