Who Will They Ride? 2024 Million Dollar Competition

Reining was brought to national television in 2019 during the first ever The Run For A Million (TRFAM) and the following season of “The Last Cowboy”. The premier event of the multi-discipline show this year will come to a head on August 17, 2024 with the Million Dollar Competition.

Reiners from across the globe have been vying for one of the 16 slots in the event since last year’s event. The final riders qualified in March and have been selecting and prepping horses since then for the August face off.

Many historic contenders are making their way to Las Vegas to The Run For A Million next week. Quarter Horse News asked the riders one big question before the event … Who will they ride?

Most riders weren’t ready to name one specific horse and will make their decision in Las Vegas but here are some horse and rider pairs to keep an eye out for. Jason Vanlandingham, the 2023 Champion, may ride the same horse he won on just last year. Shawn Flarida pulled Spooks Gotta Whiz out of retirement to re-join forces with a horse that brought him major success in the past. Down Right Amazing, if he were to win, would climb over $1 Million in lifetime earnings, all with Casey Deary in the saddle.

Also interesting to note, a father and son, Andrea and Luca Fappani will face off this year. Past TRFAM champions Cade McCutcheon and Craig Schmersal are also returning to the 2024 Million Dollar Competition.

Here’s a look at horses that riders are currently considering riding in the Million Dollar Competition at The Run For A Million:

Gabriel Borges Gunner Diamond Again

• Pedigree: 18S (Gunner Dun It Again x Rock This Diamond X Jerry Lees Surprise)
• Earnings: $32,021
• Career Highlights: 100X Reining Classic Finalist, 2024 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Open Derby Top 10 finish
• Barn Name: Rock
• Borges: “Gunner Diamond Again showed very good for me at the Derby, finishing top 10 with a 226, so that’s why I want to try to qualify on him.” (Borges will most likely ride this horse in the Open Shootout to try and qualify for the 2025 event.)

OO7

• Pedigree: 19S (Gunner Dun It Again x Solidly Spirited x Spooks Gotta Whiz)
• Earnings: $266,529
• Career Highlights: Reserve title at the 2022 100X Reining Classic, Finalist at the 2023 NRHA Derby, 100X Level 4 Open Stakes Champion at the 2023 100X Reining Classic
• Barn Name: Bond
• Borges: “007 has been prepared exclusively for this show since last year. I qualified him at the Cactus, and haven’t shown him after that.”

Casey Deary Down Right Amazing

• Pedigree: 17S (Colonels Smoking Gun “Gunner” x Shesouttayourleague x Walla Walla Whiz) 
• Earnings: $912,893
• Career Highlights: 2022 The Run For A Million Open Shootout Champion, two-time The American Performance Horseman Reining Champion, 2023 National Reining Breeders Classic Level 4 Open Classic Champion, 2023 NRHA Derby Level 4 Open Champion, 2024 NRBC champion, 2024 NRHA Open Derby third place
• Barn Name: Amazing
• Deary: “Amazing is a solder. He has always showed up to serve even when I broke my neck.He is the same everyday.  He loves my little girls.”

Andrea Fappani All Bettss Are Off

• Pedigree: 17S (Colonels Smoking Gun “Gunner” x Wimpys Little Chic x WImpys Little Step)
• Earnings: $506,091
• Career Highlights: 2020 NRHA Futurity Open Champion, 2021 High Roller Reining Classic Stakes Reserve Champion, 2022 NRHA Derby Level 4 Open Champion, Tied for seventh at the 2023 NRBC, Tied for Reserve Champion in the 2022 The Run For A Million Reining Open Shootout, Champion in the 2023 The Run For A Million Reining Open Shootout, Reserve Champion at 2024 The American Performance Horseman
• Barn Name: Gambler
• Andrea Fappani:  “He’s the last horse I won the futurity on in 2021 and he’s the highest money earner so far in my career. He has been definitely one of my favorites to train and show.”

Luca Fappani Mr Abracadabra

• Pedigree: 19S (Gunnatrashya x Nu Magic Cash x Nu Chex To Cash)
• Earnings: $36,683
• Career Highlights: Reserve at the Cactus Reining Classic, Top 5 High Roller Reining Classic
• Barn Name: Abe
• Luca Fappani: “Abe is like the energizer bunny, you always have to keep his mind busy. He is the first horse that I have ever qualified for TRFAM on.”

Playing With Da Boys

• Pedigree: 20M (Spooks Gotta Whiz x My Berry Best Gun x Colonels Smoking Gun “Gunner”)
• Earnings: $163,132
• Career Highlights: Open Level 2 NRHA Futurity Co-Champion
• Barn Name: Charlie
• Luca Fappani: “Charlie is my breakout horse. Everybody that watches her loves her and she loves all of those around her too. Her turns are the coolest turns I’ve ever ridden. She is super quirky and unique, but I love riding her.”

Trashy Dreams

• Pedigree: 18M (Gunnatrashya x This Chicsdundreamin x Magnum Chic Dream)
• Earnings: $51,0056
• Career Highlights: Finalist at the NRBC
• Barn Name: JLo
• Luca Fappani: “Jlo is the queen. She is my fiancée Payton’s [Neiburger] mare and she treats her like she is family. She spends a ton of time out in the paddock and she rides better when I ride her little and let her take care of me.”

Shawn Flarida Alpha Jac Sparrow

• Pedigree: 18S (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Chexanicki x Bueno Chexinic)
• Earnings: $275,062
• Career Highlights: All American Congress Reining top 3, Finalist NRHA Futurity, Champion NRHA Derby, High Roller Reining Classic Stakes Level 4 Champion, Top 5 The American Performance Horseman, Top 3 NRBC 2023, Finalist 2024 NRBC
• Barn Name: Jac

Spooks Gotta Whiz

• Pedigree: 07S (Spooks Gotta Gun x Prettywhizprettydoes x Topsail Whiz)
• Earnings: $353,714
• Career Highlights: NRHA Futurity Champion, NRBC champion, NRHA Derby champion, Kentucky Reining Cup champion, 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games Champion.
• Barn Name: Baby
• Flarida: “Nothing can make me happier or more proud than being back with an old friend.”

Ann Fonck Spook Unchained

• Pedigree: 15S (Smart Spook x Shine Jo Lena x Shining Spark)
• Earnings: $8,558
• Career Highlights: Reserve Champion NRHA Germany Breeders Derby Open Level 4, third place Americana, NRHA European Derby Open Level 4 Reserve Champion, NRHA France Derby Open Level 4 Champion
• Barn Name: Spook

Casey Hinton Magnums Custom Dream

• Pedigree: 17S (Magnum Chic Dream x Gunna Be Custom x Colonels Smoking Gun “Gunner”)
• Earnings: $151,941
• Career Highlights: Open Shootout The Run For A Million Qualifier, Cactus Reining Classic Open Derby Finalist, NRHA Derby Open Finalist,
• Barn Name: Rocky
• Hinton: “He is very serious, and he takes things to heart. I showed Magnum [Magnum Chic Dream] and now showing him is a dream. He has a lot more feel than his father, and he’s a really special horse.”

Duane Latimer Gunnastepya

• Pedigree: 16S (Gunnatrashya x SDP A Lasting Step x Wimpys Little Step)
• Earnings: $244,141
• Career Highlights: NRHA Derby Non Pro Level 4 Co-Champion, Cactus Reining Classic Level 4 Open Champion, NRBC Non Pro Level 4 Champion, 2023 The Run For A Million third place
• Barn Name: Billy
• Latimer: “I am pretty happy to be showing him, he’s a really good horse.”

Jared Leclair Makendiamonds

• Pedigree: 16M (Whizkey N Diamonds x Makeit In Tinseltown x Hollywoodtinseltown)
• Earnings: $246,685
• Career Highlights: NRHA Level 4 Open Futurity Top 10, OKRHA Ride & Slide Level 4 and Level 3 Open Champion, Top 10 NRHA Level 4 Open Derby
• Barn Name: Josie
• Leclair fun fact: “She is always wanting to go to the shows, and likes her cookies.”

Francesco Martinotti Spooks Gotta Tinsel

• Pedigree: 18S (Spooks Gotta Gun x Tinsel Tiara x Hollywoodstinseltown)
• Earnings: $156,974
• Career Highlights: NRHA Futurity Non Pro Finalist, Run For A Million Open Shootout Co-Reserve Champion, NRHA Derby Non Pro Finalist, 2023 The Run For A Million Million Dollar Reining Challenge 6th place
• Barn Name: King
• Martinotti: “This is the second time I have qualified and showed him in The Run For A Million. He has never missed a Level 4 Open Final from when I started to show him. He is a very special one.”

Jordan McBurney Trashinyurdreams

• Pedigree: 18S (Gunnatrashya x This Chicsdundreamin x Magnum Chic Dream)
• Earnings: $195,850
• Career Highlights: 2021 NRHA Futurity Open Level 3 Champion
• Barn Name: Donald
• McBurney: “He has won nearly $200,000 and made every major event finals. And he loves treats and is the kindest stud.”

Cade McCutcheon Finals Bound

• Pedigree: 18S (Gunnatrashya x Wimpys Little Chic x Wimpys Little Step)
• Earnings: $161,926
• Career Highlights: Fifth in the 2022 NRBC Level 4 Open Derby, fourth in the 2023 NRHA Derby Level 3 Open Finals, third place 2024 The American Performance Horseman, 2024 NRHA Open Derby Finalist
• Barn Name: MJ

Varsity Blu

• Pedigree: 18S (Wimpy Chic x Flo N Blu Boon x Pretty Boy Boon)
• Earnings: $159,384
• Career Highlights: Cactus Reining Classic Open Derby Finalist, NRBC Derby Finalist, NRHA Derby Open Finalist, High Roller Reining Open Derby Finalist, Sixth place 2023 The Run For A Million, 100X Cowtown Classic Open Level 4 Champion
• Barn Name: Blu

Fernando Salgado Xtra Wimp It Good

• Pedigree: 17S (Wimpys Little Step x Lovin Me Good x Colonels Lil Gun)
• Earnings: $163,973
• Career Highlights: Tulsa Reining Classic Champion, North American Reining Stakes Open Level 4 Derby Champion, Sixth place 2023 The Run For A Million Open Shootout, Fourth/Fifth place 2024 NRBC Derby Level 4 Open
• Barn Name: Wimpy
• Salgado: “He is the most consistent horse I’ve ever had. He was trained in Mexico by a good friend of mine, Jorge Ramirez.”

Craig Schmersal Slide Me A Lil Cash

• Pedigree: 18G (Lil Joe Cash x Myo Starlight x Paddys Irish Whiskey)
• Earnings: $37,816
• Career Highlights: 2024 NRBC Prime Time Open

Stopping In Jersey

• Pedigree: 17S (Yellow Jersey x Stop Little Sister x Magnum Chic Dream)
• Earnings: $143,696
• Career Highlights: Finalist 2020 NRHA Futurity, Seventh 2021 NRHA Derby, Reserve 2021 High Roller Reining Classic

Setting Off To Town

• Pedigree: 17G (Gunners Tinseltown x Setting Off Smart x Smart Spook)
• Earnings: $133,439
• Career Highlights: Tied for 10th at the 2020 NRHA Futurity, Tied for 5th at the 2021 High Roller Reining Classic, Finalist 2022 NRBC Open, 10th 2022 The Run For A Million, Fourth at 2023 100x Reining Classic

Dany Tremblay Tinker With Dreams

• Pedigree: 14S (Tinker With Guns x Thish Chicsdundreamin x Magnum Chic Dream)
• Earnings: $405,013
• Career Highlights: AQHA World Show Sr. Reining Champion in 2020 with a record breaking score of 231, NRBC Open Co-Champion, Reserve Champion The Run For A Million Qualifier at Cactus Reining Classic 2023.
• Barn Name: Cilantro
• Tremblay: “Owned by Diamond Dub Quarter Horses. He’s like the boss at the ranch. We are now riding some of his babies and they feel just like him.”

All Guns On Crush

• Pedigree: 18S (PS Mega Shine Chic x All Guns On Deck x Colonels Smoking Gun “Gunner”)
• Earnings: $165,882
• Career Highlights: finalist in the Tulsa Reining Classic, NRBC, and the Cactus Reining Classic Run For A Million Qualifier and Derby, third at 2023 The Run For A Million.
• Barn Name: Willie
• Tremblay: “He is owned by my brother Fred. He got such a personality. He’s happy all the time. Everyone likes to be around him. What a talented show horse.”

Ziggy Rocks

• Pedigree: 20G (Whizkey N Diamonds x Shes Got Good Guns x Colonels Smoking Gun “Gunner”)
• Earnings: $47,178
• Career Highlights: 25that 2021 NRHA Futurity, Sixth at 2022 NRHA Derby, tied for 19th at 2023 NRBC
• Barn Name: Ziggy
• Tremblay: “He’s owned by Dana Pastorino. He was trained by Duane Latimer. He’s like a robot. Great minded and fun to ride. It will be my first time showing him. He will also complete in the Non Pro with Dana.”

Jason Vanlandingham Gunnabebigtime

• Pedigree: 17S (Gunnatrashya x Big Time Jazzy x Shine Big Time)
• Earnings: $379,766
• Career Highlights: 2023 Reserve Champion Level 4 6666 NRHA Derby, Open Futurity Reserve Champion, NRBC 2x Finalist, North American Reining Stakes Finalist, Reserve in the 2023 The Run For a Million Open Shootout, Fifth place 2023 The American Performance Horseman
• Barn Name: Big Jake

Best Shine

• Pedigree: 17S (Shine Chic Shine x Best Stop x Custom Chrome)
• Earnings: $713,681
• Career Highlights: Reserve Champion NRHA Derby 2022, NRHA Futurity Finalist, NRBC Finalist, Sixth place 2022 The Run For A Million, Champion 2023 The Run For A Million
• Barn Name: Ranger

Plus Me Im Shiny

• Pedigree: 20G (Colonels Shining Gun “Gunner” x Plus One Chex x Nu Chex To Cash)
• Earnings: $106,115
• Career Highlights: Fourth place 2023 NRHA Open Derby