What to Know About the 2025 Brazos Bash and The Run For A Million Cutting Qualifier

What you need to know as the 2025 Brazos Bash returns to Weatherford, Texas, with big-money classes and an opportunity to qualify for the 2026 Run For A Million Cutting Horse Challenge.

This fall, the Brazos Bash draws cutting horses and riders to Weatherford, Texas, for one of cutting’s premier aged events. The show offers classes for horses at every stage, from 3-year-old futurity contenders to seasoned 7 & up competitors, across a range of divisions. With major added money, special challenges, and an opportunity to qualify for The Run For A Million, the Brazos Bash is a can’t-miss event for cutting enthusiasts.

The Facts

Where

Bosque Ranch, Weatherford, Texas

What

Brazos Bash

When

Sept. 30–Oct. 14, 2025

Big Money on the Line

The Brazos Bash is known for its lucrative purses, and 2025 is no exception. Here’s where the biggest payouts will be found:

3-Year-Old Futurity: $50,000 added, plus $7,500 bonus money in the Non Pro. Entry numbers can also unlock bonus money in the Open up to $50,000 if 90 horses enter.
4-Year-Old Derby: $100,000 added, with an additional $50,000 bonus in the Open and $7,500 in the Non Pro.
5/6-Year-Old Classic: $100,000 added, plus $50,000 Open bonus money and $7,500 Non Pro bonus money.
7 & Up Maturity: $100,000 added, along with $50,000 Open bonus money and $7,500 Non Pro bonus money. Bonus purses scale up to $50,000 more depending on entry numbers.
$200,000 Challenge: Available in the Futurity and Non Pro classes, this division is designed for riders who have won less than $200,000 in the past two years.
$400,000 Challenge: Designed for riders with less than $400,000 in lifetime earnings, this special division gives more competitors a shot at big payouts. The Challenge is offered in the 4- and 5/6-year-old divisions, each with $10,000 added.

The Run For A Million Qualifier

Michael Cooper rides chestnut mare Bella Louella turning to block a black cow in an indoor arena at the American Performance Horseman. — Bella Louella and Michael Cooper captured the 2025 Run For A Million Cutting Horse Challenge. Before the event, the duo rode to a fourth-place finish at the American Performance Horseman. | H&R/Emily Carey

The Brazos Bash will act as the qualifying event for 2026 The Run For A Million Cutting Horse Challenge. The riders with the top 15 scores will advance to the 2026 event at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Any age horse is eligible to compete and if the horse is 3, 4, 5/6, or 7 & Up, their first go-round score in the Open will be counted as their qualifying run.

With a $1,500 entry fee, the stakes are high for those looking to ultimately compete for $200,000 in Las Vegas. The qualifier class does not pay out the winner, with the money instead rolling into The Run For A Million purse.