2026 · September 6–13
Championship
Finale
all roads lead to Fort Worth.
John Justin Arena · Will Rogers Memorial Center · Fort Worth, Texas
01 / Race week at a glance
Five days. One finale.
Move-in opens Sunday the 6th and the office is open daily. Racing runs Tuesday through Saturday in John Justin Arena, with the Cowtown Showdown across the way in Watt Arena Thursday through Saturday. Tap a day for its full running order, draws and results.
08Tuesday
Last Chance Qualifier
$21,000 added · Derby & Am. Derby, Futurity, Open 4D
Draws & results →
09Wednesday
Open 4D Finals
Presented by Double X Equine · 2:30 PM
Draws & results →
10Thursday
Semi-Finals Rd. 1 · High Stakes
Derby & Futurity semis by day, $10,000 High Stakes Challenge at 8 PM
Draws & results →
11Friday
Semi-Finals Rd. 2 · Draw Party
Round 2 in reverse order, then the Finalist Draw Party at 6:30 PM
Draws & results →
12Saturday
Championship Finale
Youth, Senior, Am. Derby, Open Derby, Open Futurity finals from 1 PM · awards to follow
Draws & results →
02 / Everything Finale
Get in the arena.
Sept 6–13 · every day, every race
2026 Finale Schedule, Draws & Results
The full week in running order — exhibitions, semis, the finals, the parties — with each race’s draw and results posted right on it as they come in.
View Schedule → Who made it2026 Qualified Teams
The horses and riders who earned their spot across the season’s qualifiers — searchable by division and qualifier, with the leading sires board.
View Teams → Thursday 8 PM · $10,000 added · presented by Good Things CominHigh Stakes Challenge
Come one, come all. You do NOT have to be a Breeders Challenge enrolled horse to enter. Finale qualifiers can roll their time to the High Stakes Challenge.
Enter Now → Watt Arena · Thu–Sat · NFR patternCowtown Showdown
Coming together to give away more money and more prizes. You DO NOT have to be a Breeders Challenge enrolled horse to enter.
Enter Now →03 / Before you haul
Need to know.
The three red cards are the ones that will cost you if you miss them. Everything else is logistics.
Required
Every horse on the grounds
Coggins & Health Certificate
- Coggins dated within 6 months
- Health certificate dated within 30 days
- Texas horses are not exempt
Required
Deadline in your qualifier email
Confirm or Draw Out
Every qualified team must confirm or draw out by the deadline in the qualifier email sent to each team.
New for 2026: draw-outs are free until 24 hours before the start of the race, $250 thereafter. Exclusions apply — vet release (injury/illness), rider injury, family emergency.
Required
Friday, September 11 · 6:30 PM · Brown Lupton South
Finalist Draw Party
All Saturday draws are selected at the Draw Party. Attendance by the advancing rider is required for a draw position. Missing it means a turn-out from Saturday’s finale race and a $500 fine to the Rick Ford Scholarship Fund.
Scheduling conflict? Email info@breederschallenge.com in writing as soon as possible; missed attendance must be approved by the program owner. Does not apply to Open 4D qualifiers.
Saturday, after the finals
Awards
Presented on the arena floor. Required at the presentation: top 5 in the Futurity, Open Derby, Amateur Derby, Youth, Senior and each division of the Open 4D. Champion and Reserve Champion horses are needed for photos — riders, owners and friends only.
- Jackets: top 5 Futurity, top 5 Open Derby, top 5 Amateur Derby, top 5 per D Open 4D, top 2 Youth, top 2 Senior
- Hart Trailer draw: Champions in each division of the 4D, Amateur Derby, Open Derby and Futurity must be present to draw
- Golf Cart draw: Reserve Champions in each of those divisions must be present to draw
- Awards for placings after 5th are at the main office for pickup, class dependent — they will not be shipped
Where
Will Rogers Memorial Center
3401 West Lancaster Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Office: Brown Lupton North · Sunday noon–5 PM, Mon–Sat 8 AM–5 PM · finalists check in 24 hours before you run.
After-hours text (580) 276-6723
Pre-bed July 1 – August 21
Stalls & Shavings
Stall reservations and pre-bed shavings (unopened, outside the stall) through OpenStalls. Stalls stay open through the event.
Performance Stall Mat Rentals
Stall Mats
Search “Performance Stall Mat Rentals @ Breeders Challenge.” Mat reservations include sanitation and shavings-spread, stall-ready options; pre-bed shavings are bought through BC when you reserve your stall.
Cody Smith · 432-301-6982
First come, first served
RV Reservations
Not taken over the phone. When you arrive, call with your RV spot number and they will come to assist you.
(817) 392-7469
RV reservations are handled by the facility, not Breeders Challenge.
EZ Horse Shows
Official Videographer
Videos are complimentary from Breeders Challenge, LLC. Allow 24 hours; if yours hasn’t arrived by Monday, Sept 18, email bc.finale.videos@gmail.com with horse name, rider name, email, race and day of race.
Traci Davenport Photography
Official Photographer
Order your photos on the Traci Davenport Photography website. Reels by Jared Searcy (Reel Cowboy).
Approved media only
Media Pass
Media passes allow approved, designated-area shooting of listed clients only, with strict compliance to Media Team rules, equipment limits, and no unauthorized use or sale of media.
Host hotel
Holiday Inn Express
111 Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth, TX
