Plot Synopsis

THE LAST COWBOY is a one-hour Western-based competition series, where riders guide horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins and stops -- as they prepare for the biggest bout in the sport's history: "The Run for a Million." The series chronicles eight reiners determined to elevate and preserve the cowboy tradition as they train and engage in the exclusive, ultra-competitive athletic event. Series creator Taylor Sheridan is also launching "The Run for a Million," reining's first-ever, arena-based competition with a $1 million purse, marking the largest in its history. The upcoming experience takes place August 15-17, 2019 at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, and the competition will come to life in the series finale. The elite horsemen and women featured in The Last Cowboy are (in alphabetical order): Casey Deary (Weatherford, TX), who is a Texas native and won the coveted National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity in 2012 and 2015; Andrea Fappani (Scottsdale, AZ), who, born and raised in Italy, has followed his dream of becoming one of the all-time leading trainers of reining; Abby Lengel (Gainesville, TX), who 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; Tom McCutcheon (Aubrey, TX), who is a million-dollar rider and gold medalist from the World Equestrian Games, with NRHA lifetime earnings of $1.8 million; Cade McCutcheon (Aubrey, TX), who is the youngest rider ever to be named on Team USA for the World Equestrian Games -- and is the son of million-dollar riders Tom and Mandy McCutcheon; Matt Mills (Scottsdale, AZ), who won gold in the World Equestrian Games and is consistently ranked on the "NRHA Top Twenty Professional Riders" list; Craig Schmersal (Scottsdale, AZ), who is ranked #3 professionally, with more than $4 million in lifetime earnings; and Jason Vanlandingham (Whitesboro, TX), who began training professionally in the summer of 1998 and has accumulated many NRHA Futurity and Derby Championships, with lifetime earnings of more than $1.7 million.

For its second season, THE LAST COWBOY moved to CMT, beginning Friday, November 12, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT. The series continues to take an inside look at real life cowboys and cowgirls and the high-stakes sport of horse reining -- a Western-based competition where riders guide horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins and stops -- as they prepare for the biggest bout in the sport's history: "The Run for a Million." The series chronicles reiners determined to elevate and preserve the cowboy tradition as they train and engage in the exclusive, ultra-competitive athletic event. Five riders -- Dany Tremblay, Jason Vanlandingham, Andrea Fappani, Cade McCutcheon, and Matt Mills -- automatically qualify for this year's event based on their previous performance. Ten more spots in "The Run for a Million" are up for grabs.

Season 3 of THE LAST COWBOY debuted on Friday, November 18, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT on CMT. This season goes deep into the grueling preparation as riders train to elevate and preserve their cowboy traditions, as they gear up for "The Run for a Million." Participants include: Casey Deary, Andrea Fappani, Shawn Flarida, Arno Honstetter, Francesco Martinotti, Jordan McBurney, Sean McBurny, Cade McCutcheon, Matt Palmer, Nathan Piper, Fernando Salgado Craig Schmersal, Josh Tishman, Dany Tremblay, Jason Vanlandingham, and Billy Williams. In the season opener, "The Shootout," the only thing more difficult than the Run for a Million is qualifying for it. The best reiners in the biz compete at The RFAM ShootOut in Las Vegas. But nothing is certain -- the new faces are right on the heels of the highest ranking riders.

The fourth season of THE LAST COWBOY debuted on Friday, November 17, 2023 at 8pm ET/PT on CMT, with a season opener presented commercial-free. This year, the competition includes 17 riders who will compete for the $1 million prize in a series of horseback challenges that include "cutting" and "cow horse," which test riders' ability to work with cattle. The following are featured this season: Cira Baeck, who returns after withdrawing from the competition last year upon her pregnancy announcement; Andrea Fappani who has a new rival on the pro circuit -- his son; Casey Deary, who has all the momentum, taking home trophies in various competitions, but can he finally conquer the "Run for a Million?"; Matt Mills, who hopes to break his qualifying curse; Francesco Martinotti, who is desperate to prove he can compete with the best; a new McCutcheon on the pro scene, who is threatening to take the crown; and young superstar Adan Banuelos challenges cutting's most accomplished veterans.
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Season 5 of THE LAST COWBOY debuted on Friday, November 15, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT on CMT. The new season follows 16 riders, each vying for the $1 million prize at "The Run for a Million" competition. In the season opener, "Million Dollar Rider," everyone is giving it their all and going big at the Cactus Classic -- the last chance to secure a seat at this year's "Run for a Million."