In its inaugural year, the Non Pro Cutting Challenge brought together 15 of the top non-pro cutters in the industry. The crowd’s roar filled the South Point Arena as Debbie Day and NCHA Hall of Famer Kat Play, AKA ‘KIT,’ cut their final cow, marking a 229 to take a lead they would not relinquish in the inaugural $125k Non Pro Cutting Challenge at The Run For A Million in Las Vegas. The victory paid $27,500 to the team from Reno, Nevada, who earned their spot at The Winter Bash, held Jan. 23-Feb. 6 at Bosque Ranch in Weatherford, Texas, winning the 7Up Non Pro with a 224 and taking home more than $20,000.

“What a thrill to be qualified. The big job was getting here,” said Day, also an NCHA Hall of Fame Inductee., who underwent hip replacement surgery in 2023 and stepped away from riding only to come back this year. “I scored a score like I’ve never marked before – a 229 – and I owe that to my horse. He’s phenomenal—there’s something about this horse. A lot of times I get nervous when I show, especially in a finals. But something about this horse, I don’t get nervous.”

The environment in the South Point during the Non Pro Cutting Horse Challenge was enough to make anyone nervous, but mounted aboard her trusty equine partner, Day—who says she simply enjoyed the experience and focused on her job. She drew on the coaching from her trainer Monty Buntin, a $3.8 million rider and National Cutting Horse Association Hall of Famer.

“Monty teaches us to communicate, locate and position your cow, and execute, and that’s what goes through my head. When [my horse] gets to working, the best thing I can do is stay out of his way. When he gets that in-the-middle step, stay down low with him and let him do it,” Day said. “Tonight when I got that second cow, we started, and it went on and on, and I’m sitting there watching this thing practically underneath him, thinking ‘Can’t lose it, gotta hold this thing!’ It was an amazing ride for me, and I’m privileged to own that horse.”

Kat Play (Kit Kat Sugar x NQH Shadow Play x Playgun) has been a special mount for both Day and her trainer. Buntin rode him to the Reserve Championship at the 2024 TRFAM Cutting Horse Challenge, and Day won the 7 & Up on him at the Bosque Ranch Winter Bash this year to qualify for TRFAM Non Pro Cutting Challenge.

The 2016 gelding owned by Dacole Investment Company and bred by Jim and Gay Karhan has well over $500,000 in lifetime earnings, and Day is closing in on the $1 million mark herself. She says TRFAM Non Pro Cutting Challenge victory is her greatest accomplishment in the cutting pen.

“This is the biggest accomplishment of all. The Run For A Million? I mean, my gosh. I was tickled when Taylor Sheridan decided to add the Non Pro Cutting Challenge. Sure, I went to the Winter Bash! We got through the ice and snow, and I had a special run there. But this, to me, is the crown. It means a lot,” Day said.

“I’m overwhelmed that I was in that group because there are some fabulous riders and horses tonight that competed,” Day added, walking away with Kip as the first champions of the inaugural Non Pro Cutting Challenge.

Full results here

By edited TRFAM Press Release – Reported by International Horse Press / Simona Diale