Hugh Miles riding Oakbarn One Time Cat

© Liz Speed Photography

Team Ariat rider Hugh Miles is well know for his many wins in the campdrafting arena; however this Tamworth based professional trainer has recently taken the cutting horse world by storm, winning the prestigious Darling Downs Cutting Club Open Futurity aboard Oakbarn One Time Cat, less than a month after the pair placed fifth at the NCHA Futurity in Tamworth.

Hugh describes his success at the Toowoomba event as being his biggest win in the cutting pen to date. The win is a remarkable achievement for someone who only commenced competing in the sport of cutting around six years ago. For Hugh, who has campdrafted with great success since he was a teenager, the decision to diversify into the sport of cutting was triggered by a desire to be challenged and improve his skills. “I really enjoy both campdrafting and cutting. What I have learned in cutting has definitely helped me train my campdrafters better, and my campdrafting background really helped me get started in cutting”.

According to Hugh, his Futurity horse Oakbarn One Time Cat is the complete package. Owned by the Jordison family from Gulargambone, she is a big hearted mare who is impeccably bred for the sport (One Time Royalty/Intricatolena). Being extremely fast and cowy, Hugh has no doubt that once her cutting career is finished, she could go on to excel in the campdraft arena before becoming a broodmare if that is what the Jordison family choose. “Not only is she an amazing athlete, she tries really hard and is seriously cowy, that’s what makes her stand out” Hugh explains.

Having also made the final of the Balonne River Cutting Futurity, the next event for Oakbarn One Time Cat will likely be the Victorian Futurity in September. After that, Hugh’s attention will again be focused on his campdrafting team, with three big drafts on the calendar in Queensland in Spring; Warwick, Condamine and Chinchilla. Later in 2019, Hugh plans to travel to America for the second consecutive year to ride at the American Cutting Horse Futurity in Fort Worth, Texas. For Hugh, travelling to the States to compete at the biggest cutting horse show in the world alongside the world’s best cutting riders and trainers is an extremely motivating and rewarding experience. “It helps me step up, I come back motivated to go better, to do better on all my horses”.

Hugh has between 25 and 40 horses in work at his home base “Peelvale” at any time, including cutting horses, campdrafters, sale horses and youngstock. With such an immense workload, Hugh credits his long term supporters Ariat for outfitting him in fashionable, durable clothing and footwear that make the long days comfortable: “I’ve been a member of Team Ariat for over 5 years now and their gear is awesome”.

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