The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) is pleased to announce NRHA Professional Tom McCutcheon has reached a major milestone in his career. McCutcheon is now part of an elite distinction only a few reiners reach in their lifetime. McCutcheon just topped one million dollars in NRHA Lifetime Earnings. The reiner from Aubrey, TX, becomes the latest to join the NRHA Million Dollar Rider club with $1,004,881.75 in lifetime earnings.

McCutcheon’s earnings at the 2006 NRHA Futurity sent him over the top. McCutcheon took home $31,844.53 in winnings from the Futurity riding Lil Ruf Gay Badger, owned by MMCO Corporation of Long Grove, IL, and Gimme Major Bucks, owned by Jimmy Pierce of Surf City, NC.

"For me, it was really special because I went over as Lil Ruf Peppy was being honored as an NRHA Million Dollar Sire," McCutcheon said. "It was just perfect timing. It is fun being one of only a couple of other guys honored as a Million Dollar Rider along with their Million Dollar Sire. It means a lot to me to be one of them."

McCutcheon was referring to the other Million Dollar Riders, including Bill Horn and Tim McQuay. Horn was the first to reach Million Dollar Rider status in 1995. The same year his stallion Be Aech Enterprise (Squaw Leo x Enterprise Lady) reached Million Dollar Sire status. McQuay reached Million Dollar Rider status in 1997. The same year, the McQuay/Easton-owned Hollywood Dun It (Hollywood Jac 86 x Blossom Berry) also reached Million Dollar Sire status. McQuay has since gone on to become the NRHA’s first Two Million Dollar Rider and All-Time Leading Money Earner. Hollywood Dun It is currently less than $8,000 away from reaching Five Million Dollar Sire status.

McCutcheon was part of the Gold-medal winning Team USA at the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Jerez, Spain, and also won the Silver Medal in individual competition. He was an alternate for Team USA at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. McCutcheon will also serve on an advisory committee involving reining for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 in Lexington, KY. He will assist in the planning of reining events for the WEG. McCutcheon is also a multiple NRHA Futurity finalist and has twice earned the NRHA Derby Open Reserve Championship.

Additional NRHA Million Dollar Riders include Shawn Flarida (2003), Duane Latimer (2003), Todd Bergen (2004), Dell Hendricks (2005), Craig Schmersal (2005) and Andrea Fappani (2006).

For more information, contact Kathy Damrill at [email protected] or (405) 946-7400, ext. 129.~~~