The 2025 Run For A Million Cow Horse Challenge proved to be life-changing for National Reined Cow Horse Professional Corey Cushing. The accomplished horseman placed third in the event riding WR Iceman (WR This Cats Smart x Lean Irish Playgirl x Paddys Irish Whiskey), owned by Eric and Wendy Dunn, earning $30,000, which pushed him over $4 million in NRCHA lifetime earnings. This makes him the winningest NRCHA professional ever.
Cushing is quick to admit that a milestone like this isn’t possible without the owners of the horses he trains and shows.
“I have to thank our owners,” he said. “ They trust us and our program—mine and my wife, Kristen’s. My owners drive me—especially Eric Dunn. He taught me that good things happen to good people. His wife, Wendy, is always right there next to us. They trust us, and they’ve been big supporters of the equine industry. My hat’s off to the owners who hang in there through the good times and the tough times.”
Many accumulated wins pushed Cushing to this remarkable place in his career. His top wins in NRCHA competition include:
- Four-time NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® Open Champion: 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2023
- Three-time NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman® Champion: 2015, 2019 and 2022
- Three-time NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open Champion: 2007, 2016 and 2025
- Four-time NRCHA Derby Champion: 2009, 2019, 2020 and 2021
“These major events like The Run For A Million, paired with our NRCHA premier events, create incredible opportunities for our riders to achieve earnings at a level the sport has never seen before,” said NRCHA Executive Director Emily Konkel. “We are thrilled to celebrate Corey as NRCHA’s first-ever Four Million Dollar Rider. He continues to raise the bar for our industry, and we’re proud to provide a platform where riders and owners can reach these kinds of milestones.”
A single NRCHA premier event has eluded Cushing’s win list, but he has his sights set on conquering it next.
“I have a bucket list, and the only thing I’m missing is the NRCHA Hackamore Classic,” he said. “I was fortunate to spend a lot of time with Benny Guitron [before he passed] and still spend a lot of time with Don Murphy—both masters of the hackamore. I need to get better. It’s not that I haven’t had the stock; they just haven’t been trained perfectly by me in the hackamore. I’ll hold it very high when I earn that win. It’ll be right up there with winning the NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman® and the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity®.”
For a complete list of NRCHA Million Dollar Riders, visit www.nrcha.com/nrcha-million-dollar-riders/.
