Back for another year of action, excitement, and a showcase of Western athleticism, the final showdown of the 2025 NRCHA’s World’s Greatest Horseman will take the stage in Fort Worth on March 1, 2025, and a champion will be crowned.
WGH Need-to-Knows:
What is the World’s Greatest Horseman?
Since its inception in 1999, this event is considered the crown jewel of reined cow horse events. NRCHA’s World’s Greatest Horseman competition challenges riders and their horses with a gauntlet of four events including cutting, reining, fence work, and steer stopping that proves challenging to even seasoned horsemen. Exhibitors may only show one horse, in the same bridle for each event, and the World’s Greatest Horseman is open to all breeds of any age regardless of show history.
The event is just one highlight of the Kalpowar Quarter Horses Celebration of Champions. From riders chasing a World Championship title to the elite 15 competitors in the World’s Greatest Horseman and the talented derby-aged horses in the Tres Osos Cow Horse Derby, this event showcases the incredible skill and versatility of the reined cow horse.
Held in the Will Rogers Venue in Fort Worth, Texas, the competition challenges riders and their horses to master four events in order to join the 15-rider finals and get a shot at taking home the winner’s purse and prestigious World’s Greatest Horseman title. Title sponsors, Western Bloodstock and Ray Shell Ranch, are bringing you another exhilarating event featuring a field of 15 talented horses and riders.
How to Win
The World’s Greatest Horseman highlights the athleticism and versatility of the cow horse, challenging competitors in four demanding events:
- Herd Work – Showcasing precision and control as riders work to separate a cow from the herd.
- Reined Work – Demonstrating finesse while riding a pattern of spins, circles, and sliding stops.
- Steer Stopping – Riders put their roping and dallying skills to the test as they break from the box to catch and stop a steer.
- Cow Work – A crowd favorite, where riders circle a cow and then take it down the fence at breakneck speeds.
As these talented teams slide, stop, turn, and cut cattle, they prove that the reined cow horse truly can do it all.
To win the event, one horse and rider team will come out on top with the highest composite score across the four events. Heading into the Saturday Finals Night, the field is lead by Todd Crawford aboard One Time Legend, owned by Larry Hall Cutting Horses, with a composite score of 885.5.
[As you watch these riders go down the fence, learn the physics of cow work HERE]
Abbie Phillips and Peptos Stylin Time came out on top in the cow work prelims with a score of 225.5. Phillips and Peptos Stylin Time go into the finals on Saturday sitting third in the standings, with a composite score of 883. Primo Morales Photography.
Where to Watch
Livestream:
Tickets are currently sold out for in-person attendance, but you can watch LIVE on the NRCHA website.
If you missed any of the action, though, log in to Ride TV following the event’s conclusion to watch the 2025 World’s Greatest Horseman on demand.
Herd Work
Catch the herd work in-person, even without tickets. This first event is free and open to the public. Herd work will be held in the John Justin arena, beginning with the World’s Greatest Youth Horseman. Event begins at 9:00 a.m – settle at 8:40 a.m.
WGH Archives
Relive past WGH events from 2022, 2023 and 2024 on the Ride TV archives.
Watch Party
If you don’t have tickets but you’re in Fort Worth, swing by the Will Rogers to enjoy the NRCHA watch-party held outside the coliseum! Expect food trucks, refreshments, and good times with good people. The Kick Off Party, presented by Top Fuel Ranch, will be held in the Coliseum parking lot, starting at 3:00 p.m.
When is the World’s Greatest Horseman?
March 1, 2025 will be the day to catch the World’s Greatest Horseman finals action. The steer stopping, rein work, and cow work finals will all be held in the Will Rogers Coliseum beginning at 4:30 PM, with the herd work being held in the John Justin arena.
Find the full schedule from NRCHA to stay apprised of the day’s activities.
Who are the Top 15 Contestants and Their Horses?
| Rank | Back # | Horse | Rider | Owner |
|---|
| 1 | 11 | ONE TIME LEGEND | TODD CRAWFORD | LARRY HALL CUTTING HORSES LLC |
| 2 | 82 | WR ICEMAN | COREY D. CUSHING | ERIC & WENDY DUNN |
| 3 | 52 | PEPTOS STYLIN TIME | ABBIE PHILLIPS | KELBY AND/OR ABBIE PHILLIPS |
| 4 | 2 | MY BOOTS ARE ROYAL | BOYD J. RICE | MONCRIEF QUARTER HORSES LLC |
| 5 | 1 | SIR STYLISH ONE | SHAWN HAYS | TIMOTHY E DRUMMOND |
| 6 | 40 | LENALILTOTHEWRIGHT | RANDY J. PAUL | LINDA S KATZ |
| 7 | 45 | METALLIC ACTION | WADE MEADOR | CLYDE METZLER |
| 8 | 61 | SJR REYGUN | BRADY E. WEAVER | GARY EWELL |
| 8 | 53 | PHYSICALITY | GUSTI W. BUERGER | HOME RANCH PERF HORSES LLC |
| 10 | 57 | RICATO SUAVE | CLAY VOLMER | SHALEAH HESTER & M FOUNTAIN |
| 11 | 31 | HAY SWEET FREYA | DALE E. CLEARWATER | TRACY BRAND |
| 11 | 30 | GOTITTOGIVE | JAY MCLAUGHLIN | JAY AND/OR WENDY MCLAUGHLIN |
| 13 | 7 | PURRN LIKEASMOOTHCAT | JUSTIN T. WRIGHT | ASCENCION BANUELOS |
| 13 | 72 | SPRINKLD CONFETTICAT | SHANE L. STEFFEN | SOUTH COVE RANCH LLC |
| 13 | 15 | HAZARDOUZ MATERIAL | ERIN L. TAORMINO | LINDA A MARS |
Todd Crawford and One Time Legend lead the World’s Greatest Horseman Steer Stopping preliminaries with a score of 224.5.
One Time Legend is no stranger to the winners circle, whether it’s the non-pro or the open classes. Watch him cashing checks at the 2024 Mars Hackamore Classic with Myles Brown aboard.
[One Time Legend Shines in Both the World’s Greatest Horseman and the World’s Greatest Non-Pro]
2024 World’s Greatest Horseman Champion
The team that took home the 2024 coveted title of WGH Champion was Shawn Hays and MoonShineAndTwoAdvil. The pair marked consistent scores throughout, really shining in the cow work and making it their highest-placing event. The beloved duo, Phillip Ralls and Call Me Mitch, brought home the championship title in 2023, after four previous reserve placings.
Find all the past champions from this great event, going all the way back to 1999.
Payouts at the World’s Greatest
The Celebration of Champions features impressive payouts across all three events, giving contestants the opportunity to compete for substantial prize money.
The Tres Osos Derby boasts a total added money of $158,500.
The NRCHA World Championship offers $107,250 in added money.
The NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman event has a total added money of $290,000, with $20,000 per event awarded in the prelims—allowing competitors to earn significant winnings even before reaching the finals.
