Riders come out on top in cutting finals
CUTTING: The Darling Downs has shown why the region is a powerhouse when it comes to cutting.
Despite attracting competitors from across the country, it was the home-region riders who proved they were a cut above the rest at the Darling Downs Futurity Show on the weekend.
Competing in a field that included riders hailing from as far as Victoria, Oakey’s Todd Graham managed to earn himself a spot in the top three in the Open Futurity final.
Graham, riding Dreams Of Royalty, finished up in third after a hard day of competition that saw him compete for top spot.
But it was not meant to be for the Darling Downs rider as New South Wales’ Trent Smith was the man to beat in the Open Futurity final, riding Sparky’s A Dreamer to a first-place finish while Killarney’s Graham Amos finished in fifth.
Smith’s win earns him a guaranteed prize of $30,000.
The Non-Pro Futurity final proved a better hunting ground for the region’s budding riders.
Millmerran’s Erin Lyons took out the final, finishing in first place after a big ride on Klone Wars to claim a guaranteed prize of $10,000.
Lyons’ triumph came after she managed to fend off competition from Dru O’Keefe and Robert Greer, who finished second and third respectively.
The home-region advantage proved to be the difference on the day for Lyons, who took out the top prize as the only Darling Downs rider to finish in the top four of the Non-Pro Futurity final on the day.
The next best Darling Downs rider was Jacqueline Graham from Oakey, who finished in fifth place.