Horse Illustrated Magazine

A new television series debuted on the Paramount Network, Wednesday, July 24, 2019. The program chronicles the journey of eight horse reining professionals as they prepare for a Western-based competition.

“The Last Cowboy,” an unscripted television series, airs Wednesday at 11 p.m. ET, immediately following “Yellowstone,” the Paramount Network’s popular Western drama series. “The Last Cowboy” features men and women who compete regularly on the professional reining circuit, as riders and trainers. The series follows eight professionals through precise horse training processes, in preparation for the arena-based competition, “The Run for a Million.”

$1 Million At Stake

The competition will take place Aug. 15-17, 2019 at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, and it marks the finality of “The Last Cowboy” series. The competition boasts a $1 million purse.

Enjoy a clip from the new series “The Last Cowboy”…

Reining Competitors

The elite reining professions featured in the new television series include (listed alphabetically):
• Casey Deary (Weatherford, TX) – A Texas native who won the coveted National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity in 2012 and 2015. He’s made the finals in countless major reining events and is the 2017 NHRA Derby Champion.
• Andre Fappani (Scottsdale, AZ) – A native of Italy, Fappani is becoming one of the all-time leading trainers of reining. His wife Tish is also a champion reiner and his 14-year-old son Luca recently began reining. Fappani is the #2 all-time NRHA rider.
• Abby Lengel (Gainesville, TX) – Lengel has recently branched out on her own professionally after spending five years as an assistant on the ranch of fellow rider (now competitor) Casey Deary. The Eastern Colorado native runs her own business on a ranch staffed entirely by women. Her honors including NRHA’s Professional Horsewoman of the Year in 2018.
• Tom McCutcheon (Aubrey, TX) – McCutcheon is a million-dollar rider and gold medalist from the World Equestrian Games. His father-in-law is Tim McQuay, a reining legend and member of the NRHA Hall of Fame. He is also the father of 18-year-old Cade McCutcheon who recently turned pro.

A Pool of Legends and Newcomers

• Cade McCutcheon (Aubrey, TX) – Cade is the youngest rider to represent Team USA for the World Equestrian Games. The son of legendary riders Tom and Mandy McCutcheon, the recent high school graduate is launching his professional training business.
• Matt Mills (Scottsdale, AZ) – This Southern California native won gold in the World Equestrian Games and is consistently ranked on the “NRHA Top Twenty Professional Riders” list. He’s won several titles including NRHA Intermediate Open Futurity Reserve Champion, as well as multiple titles at the National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC).
• Craig Schmersal (Scottsdale, AZ) – Schmersal is ranked #3 professionally and has earned NRHA Futurity and Derby titles. He was a member of the US Team at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, winning team gold and individual silver medals, and also a gold medal winner in the World Reining Masters.
• Jason Vanlandingham (Whitesboro, TX) – A professional trainer for more than 20 years, he has accumulated many NRHA Futurity and Derby championship titles.

“The Last Cowboy” television series and “The Run for a Million” are both created by Academy Award-nominee Taylor Sheridan, who is the co-creator of “Yellowstone.” The Last Cowboy” is a production of Truly Original and 101 Studios.