Taylor Sheridan doesn't just make TV shows; he builds entire subcultures. Between the Yellowstone universe and his fixation on the gritty reality of the modern West, he’s managed to turn the niche world of professional reining into a genuine spectator sport. But lately, fans of his unscripted series have been left staring at a dusty, empty arena. Everyone wants to know the same thing: where is The Last Cowboy Season 6?
The silence is loud. Usually, by the time the Run for a Million concludes in Las Vegas, we have a pretty clear picture of the next production cycle. But the gap between Season 4 and Season 5 felt long, and the wait for a Season 6 confirmation is starting to make people nervous.
The Reality of The Last Cowboy Season 6 Production
Let's be real for a second. This isn't Grey's Anatomy. You can't just throw some actors on a soundstage and call it a day. The "cast" of this show are elite athletes—both human and equine—whose entire lives revolve around a very specific competitive calendar.
The heart of the show is The Run for a Million. Created by Sheridan in 2019, this event changed the financial landscape of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA). Before this, reining was a prestigious but relatively quiet corner of the horse world. Now? It’s a million-dollar pressure cooker. If there is no Run for a Million, there is no show.
Rumors have been swirling about whether CMT or Paramount Network will pull the trigger on a renewal. Honestly, the ratings for Season 5 were solid for its niche, but the production costs are deceptively high. Think about it. You aren't just paying a camera crew. You’re dealing with the logistical nightmare of filming at high-stakes horse shows, hauling gear across state lines, and capturing high-speed maneuvers that require specialized equipment to look "cinematic."
Why the 2025/2026 Schedule Matters
The NRHA schedule is the heartbeat of the series. If we look at the historical data, filming usually aligns with major events like the Cactus Reining Classic in Scottsdale or the NRBC in Katy, Texas.
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- The Qualification Process: Riders have to earn their spot. This creates a natural narrative arc that Sheridan loves.
- The Stakes: We’re talking about $1,000,000. That kind of money brings out the best and worst in people, which is perfect for reality TV.
- The Horses: These animals are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The drama often comes from a "soundness" issue or a bad lead change rather than a scripted argument.
The Faces We Expect (and Need) to See
If The Last Cowboy Season 6 moves forward, the roster of riders is pretty predictable because, frankly, the top of the reining world is a small circle. You can’t have the show without the "Big Three" or their equivalents.
Andrea Fappani is the guy everyone loves to watch—or loves to beat. He’s a perfectionist. His discipline is legendary. Then you have Casey Deary, who brings that classic Texas grit and family-man energy that plays so well on camera. And of course, Matt Mills. Mills has become a bit of a face for the sport, balancing the intense athleticism of reining with a personality that actually works for television.
But the sport is changing. We are seeing more women breaking into the top tier of the Open division, and fans are vocal about wanting to see more of that. The "Cowboy" moniker is a brand, but the "Cowgirls" are the ones often doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes at the ranches.
The Taylor Sheridan Factor
Sheridan is spread thin. That’s just a fact. Between 1923, Lioness, Tulsa King, and whatever new Yellowstone spin-off is being cooked up this week, his attention is divided. However, The Last Cowboy is different. This isn't just a paycheck for him; it's his hobby and his passion. He actually competes in these events.
He’s a member of the NRHA Hall of Fame for a reason. He’s used his Hollywood leverage to pump millions of dollars into the reining industry. Because of that, even if the "big" network execs are hesitant, Sheridan usually gets what he wants. If he wants a Season 6 to showcase his ranch or his horses, it’s probably going to happen.
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What Fans Get Wrong About the Drama
People often complain that the show feels "slow."
That’s because it’s authentic.
In a world of staged reality TV fights, The Last Cowboy stays relatively grounded. The drama is technical. It’s about a horse "scotching" on a stop or a rider "spinning" a fraction of a second too long. If you’re looking for Real Housewives on horseback, you’re in the wrong place. But if you want to see the literal sweat and blood that goes into training a performance horse, this is the only show doing it at this level.
The Impact on the Horse Market
It’s worth noting that the show has had a massive impact on the "non-pro" market. Since the show aired, the price of a finished reining horse has skyrocketed. People see the sliding stops on TV and want to try it themselves. This has created a weird tension in the industry. Pros are making more money selling horses, but the "average" rider is being priced out. Season 6 would likely lean into this—the transition of the sport from a rural pastime to a high-stakes investment game.
Logistics: When Could We Actually See It?
If production started in late 2025, we are likely looking at a mid-2026 release date. The editing process for these shows is grueling because they have to sift through hundreds of hours of arena footage to find the three minutes that actually look exciting to a casual viewer.
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There’s also the question of the platform. With the ongoing shifts at Paramount Global, there’s a chance the show could migrate exclusively to Paramount+ rather than airing on CMT. Streaming is where the "Sheridan-verse" lives now. It makes more sense to put it next to Yellowstone than to sandwich it between country music videos.
Hard Truths About the Future
Is the show sustainable? Maybe. The niche audience is incredibly loyal, but they are also very critical. If the show becomes too "Hollywood," the reining community turns their backs. If it’s too technical, the general public switches the channel.
The Last Cowboy Season 6 needs to find that middle ground again. It needs to focus on the horses. At the end of the day, that’s why people watch. They want to see the connection between a human and an animal performing at the absolute limit of what is physically possible.
What to Do While You Wait
Since there hasn't been a formal "green light" press release from Paramount yet, the best way to stay informed isn't actually checking TV guides—it's following the NRHA and the Run for a Million social media accounts.
- Watch the NRHA Futurity results. This is where the next season's "stars" (the horses) are born.
- Follow the riders. Fappani, Deary, and McCutcheon are active on Instagram. They often post "behind the scenes" clips that give away whether film crews are present at their ranches.
- Check the 2026 Run for a Million schedule. If the event is listed with "TV Production" notices for spectators, you know Season 6 is officially in the can.
The Western lifestyle isn't a trend for the people in this show; it's a 4:00 AM wake-up call every single day. Whether the cameras are rolling or not, the dirt is still flying. But for the sake of the sport’s growth, let’s hope the cameras keep rolling for at least one more year.
Stay tuned to the official NRHA communications and the Performance Horse Central portals, as they usually break the news of filming permits before the networks even acknowledge them. If you see camera booms at the South Point Arena in Vegas this year, you'll have your answer. Drawing from past patterns, the announcement usually drops right when we least expect it—typically a month before the premiere. Keep your boots ready.