Agricultural
14 July, 2025
Todd Graham claims cutting Pro Division title
Former Oakey competitor Todd Graham has claimed the prized Pro Division title in Tamworth aboard his favoured quarter horse mount, Heavy Little Metal.
Graham was competing in Australia’s National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity in Tamworth.
He faced stiff competition from Springsure’s Jason Leitch (Swiveling) and Victoria’s Lindsey Wheatley (Sorta Suspicious) who filled the minors.
Graham, now a nine-time Tamworth champion and four-time Darling Downs titleholder, will look to repeat his 2015 Championship exploits, where he claimed back-to-back opening season wins at Tamworth and the Down’s-hosted Open Futurity event.
The sport will mark the 30th Anniversary of the Darling Downs Cutting Club Futurity during the second Championship Round in Dalby from July 19-27.
Graham said it was probably the most satisfying win of his career at Tamworth.
“I put a lot of work into Heavy Little Metal, a horse I bred and trained right along the way, and who ironically was sired by Heavy Metal, who I rode to Darling Downs Futurity success in 2015,” he said.
“That year we went on to win four of the five NCHA Championship Rounds, so if we can repeat the dose this season it’d make for a memorable season.
“She’s (Heavy Little Metal) a real high quality mare, definitely the best of mine, but like all top-level competitions nothing’s guaranteed, so we’ll be giving it a red-hot go.
“We’ve been coming to the Downs event for the best part of 20 years which is seen by competitors from across the country as second only to Tamworth, so to be able to secure another history-making title during the 30th Anniversary at Dalby would be perfect.
“I’ve got so many fond memories, not only in the Futurity but also in the Open Classes. The cattle and the Dalby Showgrounds arena are the event’s biggest assets, a totally different set-up to Tamworth, so to win at both events takes a lot of hard work and is always a fantastic feeling of achievement.”
Another memorable Darling Downs Futurity moment for Todd Graham occurred in 2007 when he was able to claim the major title aboard One Stylish Pepto, and backed that effort up a week later, to claim the top prize in Goondiwindi.
Event organisers are confident of one of the biggest showings in the 30-year history of the Darling Downs Futurity, after a highly successful four-year-old Open Cutting Event at the Dalby Showgrounds in March this year.
“Total numbers were up beyond 450 runs earlier this year, more than double the size of the corresponding event in 2024, so that, coupled with the genuine interest already being experienced from across Australia, are some very encouraging signs,” Darling Downs Cutting Club President, Ian McLauchlan said.
“The reputation of global equine excellence across the Darling Downs has already been shown with the region’s naming to host all equestrian events of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, so we’ll continue that legacy with the staging of our own major showpiece in Dalby later this year.”
The 2025 30th Anniversary Darling Downs Futurity to be held at the Dalby Showgrounds (July 19-27), is just one of five National Cutting Championship events staged annually across Australia, among a full calendar of 200-plus events across the country.
The NCHA Championship events feature the best in Open Men, Women and Junior Cutting rider categories, both professional and non-professionals, related horse trainers and their prized quarter horse mounts.
