"The Queen" and Her $10 Million Rider Take Run For A Million Championship

Recently dubbed "The Queen" by adoring fans, Kittennish earned the win at the Run for a Million event.

Kittenish and Austin Shepard / Courtesy of Teton Ridge

Proving yet again why her earnings just continue to grow, Kittennish, more recently referred to as "The Queen" added the Run for a Million Championship to her resume.

The Cutting Horse Challenge at The Run For A Million was just one of the prestigious events held at the South Point Equestrian Center over the course of August 12 - 17.

Two very familiar names got to claim the championship and a $50,000 check. EquiStat's Elite $10 Million Rider Austin Shepard was comfortable in the saddle of his well-known equine cutting partner, Kittenish.

The beautiful sorrel mare was sired by the elite stallion Hottish and out of one of the top-producing broodmares in the last five years, Show Biz Kitty.

Shepard has been in the saddle the entire show career of the talented mare and has dominated most of the limited aged events in the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA). In 2023 the duo won the Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association Futurity Open Derby class. The mare was also the NCHA Futurity Open Reserve Champion.

Kittenish won her first aged-event championship when she and Shepard gathered the victory at the Augusta Futurity in Perry, Georgia in early 2023. The winning has just continued and the pair have built an impressive resume.

In an interview with the Quarter Horse News, Shepard talked about winning The Run for the Million.

“I got some cows cut for my horse and she’s just a great horse,” Shepard said. “She’s the best horse I’ve ever ridden in my life and when everything’s there in front of her, she’s just a winner. I’d love to take all the credit but she just wants this. I mean, she’s a Michael Jordan-type personality, and she came that way.”

Winning the event and the $50,000 check put Kittenish in the number three position for highest earning mares in cutting competition according to EquiStat. In total, the incredibly talented equine has won more than $660,000 in her career.

Kittenish and Shepard have attended other Taylor Sheridan events including the 2023 The Run For A Million and The American Performance Horseman produced by Teton Ridge. Although the mare was present for the 2023 TRFAM, she did not get to see the lights of the arena.

Shepard chose to let the mare come at her own speed and not push her when he didn't need to. He had another horse Wood She B Magic and decided to rider her as she had more show experience. Given that both mares are owned by the same gentleman, Billy Wolf, it likely didn't matter which mare got to experience the spotlight.

Shepard was quick to hand out credit for the win. In the same interview with QHN, he pointed out that his daughter-in-law is who prepares the mare every day and got her ready for the show. He thanked Billy Wolf for always supporting him and his decisions along with his turn back help Boyd Rice and Matt Miller.

He made sure to also be thankful for his incredible horse, who has a big heart and a lot of try.