How far would you travel in the hopes of winning a share of over $2 million?

RFD-TV’s The American, presented by Dish, brings rodeo competitors out of the woodworks from all over the United States, Canada, and around the world to compete for the richest one-day payout in rodeo on February 25 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The event offers many unique ways to qualify or earn an exemption, throwing the doors open to allow everyone the chance to face off against the best in the world. 

Watch The American (Feb. 18-25) LIVE on FloRodeo

Texas is home to a large population of rodeo competitors, but some drove, flew, and even quarantined their way to the Forth Worth area from thousands of miles away. Here’s a look at some of the competitors that had to trek the farthest to AT&T Stadium for their shot at the money. 

1,940 Miles — Corners Of The U.S.

Looking at the competitors that had the longest drive from within the U.S., there is a handful making the trip from the Northwest corner of the country. Hailing from Washington, bull rider invitee Derek Kolbaba’s hometown of Walla Walla is 1,835 miles away from Fort Worth, while Indian National Final Rodeo barrel racing champion and exemption earner Rocksie Marchand lives 1,925 miles away in Wilbur. 

One of the farthest trips from Washington will be made by the Minor brothers, Brady and Riley, who are returning to defend their 2017 championship at The American from Ellensburg, WA — 1,940 miles away. 

Moving over to the Northeastern corner of the United States, Piffard, New York, has a hometown cowboy to cheer on next week. Daylon Swearingen qualified in the bareback riding back in October during a World’s Toughest Rodeo Qualifier. 

Swearingen will be 1,456 miles from home when in Arlington. 

2,204 Miles — Canada

A flock of Canadians will be flying south — if they haven’t already escaped the snow that is currently covering their country — to compete at The American as qualifiers, exemptions, and invitees to the event. With five Canadians competing via an invitation earned because of their performances during the 2017 WNFR, four competing via exemptions earned by winning the Canadian Finals Rodeo, and many on the list of qualifiers, the country will be well represented at the event. 

Reigning Canadian champion barrel racer Carmen Pozzobon had one of the farthest trips out of all the Canadians with her 2,204-mile drive from Aldergrove, British Columbia, to the Fort Worth area. Pozzobon has been on a roll in the area lately, winning the short round at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo and placing fourth overall for $9,049 to add to the WPRA standings.

Other top Canadians heading to Fort Worth include steer wrestlers Scott Guenthner from Provost, Alberta (1,789 miles away), and Tanner Milan of Cochrane, Alberta (1,875 miles), and saddle bronc riders Zeke Thurston (Big Valley, Alberta — 1,887 miles) and Layton Green (Meeting Creek, Alberta — 1,932 miles).

5,055 Miles — Brazil

Brazil is also going to have a large field of competitors at The American this year, with a sizable percentage of the exemptions coming from the Barreto’s rodeo and the National League of Rodeo Bull Riding Championships. Twenty-six exemption spots were awarded for the events that both took place in Sao Paulo. 

On the invites list are top PBR competitors from Brazil including Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Mato Grosso Do Sul — 4,606 miles), Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Goias — 4,656 miles), Fabiano Vieira (Perola, Parana — 4,769 miles), and Dener Barbosa (Paulo De Faria, Sao Paulo — 4,788.5 miles)

One of the Brazilians farthest from home is Kaique Pacheco from Itatiba, Sao Paulo, Brazil, with an air distance of 5,055 miles. Pacheco has had a taste of success at The American in 2017, winning the long round of the finals with a score of 88.25 points and qualifying for the four-man shootout. 

Familiar WNFR faces Junior Nogueira, the 2016 world all-around champion, and Marcos Costa, the reigning world tie-down roping champion, are also both originally from Brazil and have been invited to The American. Nogueira, from Presidente Prudente, and Costa, from Parana, are both the first world champions in their events to hail from Brazil.

6,146 Miles — Italy

RFD-TV’s Amy Wilson told the story of one barrel horse trainer who has spent months getting his horse into the country and ready to compete at The American. Giovanni Adamo started his journey on October 29, 2017, traveling over 6,000 air miles to get to The American. 

Adamo, a Calabria, Italy resident, first traveled to Amsterdam for 10 days, then flew to New York where the horse was quarantined for 43 days. From there the pair were transported to Whitesboro, Texas, where, after some rest, they returned to conditioning the horse for the event. The total trip was an estimated 6,146 air miles. 

“They wanted to start to follow their dreams to send the horse to the United States to try to compete here with a horse that is completely bred, born, raised, and trained in Italy,” translator and Global Equine Transport Services co-owner Matteo Rondanina told Wilson in an interview.

Adamo paid $17,000 in transport costs to get his 8-year-old stallion, FR Firewater Request, to the U.S. to follow his dream of competing at The American for a chance to win a piece of over $2 million up for grabs.