Watch all the episodes of “The Last Cowboy” - Paramount Network and CMT
The Last Cowboy
2019 The Run For A Million
Co-Champions!
A DREAM COME TRUE
The Run For A Million (TRFAM) Million Dollar Invitational was billed as the biggest event in the history of reining. The Las Vegas event, held Aug. 17, didn’t disappoint.
Twelve of the most successful trainers in the sport competed for a $1 million payout aboard a roster of some of the best reining horses to step into a pen in recent years. In the end, the judges could not separate the 229.5-point performances by Cade McCutcheon and Custom Made Gun, and Craig Schmersal and No Smoking Required.
The riders, each mounted on a son of the late Colonels Smoking Gun (Gunner), opted not to run off. They settled for a co-championship, pocketing $307,000 each.
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The co-champions were among the eight riders featured in the reality series “The Last Cowboy,” which followed trainers as they prepared their horses for the Million Dollar Invitational. The series finale, which included the results of the Invitational, aired Wednesday, Aug. 28, on the Paramount Network.
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Schmersal considered himself fortunate to ride in front of the energetic, packed crowd that traveled to the South Point Equestrian Center to see the dozen riders go for the big prize.
“Not very many people get to do that, and those 12 riders were very fortunate to be able to do that,” Schmersal said. “And, to have my horse fire like he did tonight, it’s a dream come true and a really big deal.”
CO - CHAMPIONS
No Smoking Required &
Craig Schmersal
SCORE - 229.5
MONEY WON - $307,500
NO SMOKING REQUIRED
2013 STALLION
(Gunner x Icing Required x Smart Chic Olena)
Owner: Wranglen Partnership, Scottsdale, AZ
It takes a winner to produce a champion
Total Earnings: $5,437,622+
"A GREAT HORSE WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE, BUT THE EXTRAORDINARY ONES DEFINE IT"
Craig Schmersal, the 2017 NRHA Futurity Champion and NRHA $5 Million Dollar rider, specializes in training, showing and selling Futurity and Derby horses. He's trained and shown multiple Futurity & Derby winners, nine world reining champions, and every one has had its own unique style. He trains every horse as an individual and finds a way to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses, to build Future Champions.
Please take a minute to browse through our web site to learn more about us, our stallions - NRHA 3 Million Dollar Sire, Pale Face Dunnit, sire of the 2017 NRHA Futurity Open Champion - and No Smoking Required, the Reining Industry's Highest money earner and The Run For The Million Co-Champion.
If you feel your horse, young or old, deserves an opportunity to prove itself, see what we can offer you and your reining horse in performance training and care. We welcome dedicated NonPros who are interested in showing at their best. We'd love to have you join our winning team!
