Entertainment

THE AMERICAN PERFORMANCE HORSEMAN EXPANDS FOR 2025 WITH ELITE ROSTER AND STANDALONE EVENT

Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas on July 19, 2025 to Host Western Sports Spectacle

Published

11 minutes ago

February 28, 2025

(Fort Worth, Texas), February 24, 2025— Teton Ridge, the premier brand in Western sports and entertainment, has announced the official lineup of cutting, reined cow horse, and reining athletes set to compete at the highly anticipated 2025 American Performance Horseman. This groundbreaking team-formatted event is making history once again—this time as a standalone spectacle—set to take over Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday, July 19, 2025.

Created in 2023, The American Performance Horseman has quickly become the highest-attended single-day Western performance horse event in the world, drawing top-tier talent and passionate fans from around the globe. The 2025 edition marks a significant evolution, expanding the competition field from five to eight elite athletes per discipline, further amplifying the stakes and the excitement.

“This year’s expansion to eight competitors per discipline and moving to its own night at Dickies Arena is a monumental step forward for The American Performance Horseman and the future of equine sports,”
Josh Valdez, Director of The American Performance Horseman

Among those returning to defend their titles are 2024 champions Adan Banuelos (NCHA), and Casey Deary (NRHA), each of whom took home over $100,000 in prize money last year. They will be joined by a star-studded lineup of riders who have dominated their respective disciplines, promising an electrifying night of Western sports like never before.

“By broadening the field, Teton Ridge is providing more elite athletes the opportunity to compete at the highest level while delivering an unforgettable experience for fans in a world-class setting. The American Performance Horseman remains the only event that brings these three disciplines together in one arena on one night, and we cannot wait to make history in Fort Worth.”
Josh Valdez, Director of The American Performance Horseman

Full lineup below. Tickets on sale beginning Tuesday, March 18 at 10AM/ET.

Tickets on sale beginning March 18. Entertainment lineup, and VIP experiences will be revealed soon. Fans eager to be part of this electrifying night are encouraged to check www.theamericanperformancehorseman.com for the latest updates. Don’t miss your chance to witness Western sports history in the making.

The 2025 American Performance Horseman Official Roster

REPRESENTING THE NATIONAL CUTTING HORSE ASSOCIATION (NCHA):

**ADAN BANUELOS**
2023 & 2024
The American Performance Horseman Champion
**LTE $7,171,647.31**

**AUSTIN SHEPARD**
2017
NCHA Futurity Open Champion & NCHA Open World Champion
**LTE $11,013,335.38**

**JAMES PAYNE**
2024
NCHA Summer Spectacular 4 Yo Open Champion
**LTE $5,973,484.98**

**MORGAN CROMER**
2024
NCHA Futurity Open Finalist
**LTE $5,632,943.40**

**WES GALYEAN**
2024
NCHA Futurity Open Champion
**LTE: $6,599,615.00**

**KENNETH PLATT**
2024
NCHA Futurity Open Champion
**LTE: $4,250,424.97**

**MICHAEL COOPER**
2025
Ike Derby and Classic 4 Yo Open Champion
**LTE: $5,361,931.12**

**TOSTEN PETERSON**
2024
NCHA FUTURITY OPEN FINALIST
**LTE: $6,599,615.00**

REPRESENTING THE NATIONAL REINED COW HORSE ASSOCATION (NRCHA)

**CHRIS DAWSON**
2024
NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champion
**LTE: $2,517,260**

**JUSTIN WRIGHT**
2024
The American Performance Horseman Reined Cow Horse Reserve Champion
LTE: **$3,050,058**

**MATT KOCH**
2024
Tres Osos Open Derby Champion
**LTE: $1,719,746**

**SARAH DAWSON**
2023
The American Performance Horseman Champion
**LTE: $2,342,272**

**CLAYTON EDSALL**
2024
NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Finalist
LTE: **$1,747,804**

**BOYD RICE**
2014
NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman Champion
LTE: $1,909,319

**NICK DOWERS**
2024
NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman Champion
**LTE: 1,909,319**

**VERONICA SWALES**
2024
NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Finalist
LTE: **$524,339.26**

REPRESENTING THE NATIONAL REINING HORSE ASSOCIATION (NRHA)

**CADE MCCUTCHEON**
2024
NRHA Derby Champion
**LTE: $2,860,279**

**CASEY DEARY**
2023 & 2024
The American Performance Horseman Champion
**LTE: $4,900,756**

**FERNANDO SALGADO**
2024
Reining Classic Derby Champion
**LTE: $1,739,670**

**JASON VANLANDINGHAM**
2024
The Run For A Million Champion
**LTE: $4,610,903**

**ANDREA FAPPANI**
2023 & 2024
The American Performance Horseman Reserve Champion
**LTE: $9,104,471**

**KACI O’ROURKE**
2024
NRHA Futurity Champion
**LTE: $827,816**

**MANUEL CORTESI**
2024
European Classic Derby Champion
**LTE $1,053,105**

**TREVOR DARE**
2024
NRHA Derby Reserve Champion
**LTE: $1,777,046**

About The American Performance Horseman The American Performance Horseman is a premier event in Western equine sports, bringing together the best athletes from the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA), National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA), and National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) and horses from the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and the American Paint Horse Association (APHA). Founded in 2023, The American Performance Horseman highlights the artistry, athleticism, and heritage of Western performance horse disciplines through cutting-edge competition and entertainment. For more information, visit www.theamericanperformancehorseman.com