Moon landings to Cleveland Bays: Australia’s oldest jockey Keith Ballard signs off at Mt Isa after 55-year career

Keith Ballard, who has spent 55 years in the saddle in one of Australian racing’s most incredible careers, will sign off for the final time at Mt Isa on Saturday afternoon.

Keith Ballard will have his final ride at Mt Isa on Saturday. Picture: Racing Queensland.

Queensland bush jockey Keith Ballard rode his first winner the year man landed on the moon and will sign off from a 55-year career in the saddle at Mt Isa on Saturday.

The veteran is Australia’s oldest jockey and remembers having to huddle around a power box with a radio on to listen to some of Queensland’s best races.

Ballard began his riding career at Longreach in 1969 and will finish up on Saturday after 9573 rides and 1778 winners.

Meticulous in his preparation, Ballard has written down every ride he has ever had to keep notes on his career.

“My first winner was around the time of the first moon landing,” Ballard said ahead of his final race meeting, which was moved from Julia Creek to Mt Isa due to wet weather earlier this week.

“I was at work at the time, so I listed to the moon landing on radio, we had the radio on there all listening to it.

Australia's oldest jockey Keith Ballard with his wife Denise (middle) and son Dan (left). Picture: Racing Queensland

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“I have a book here, I have had to get it out a few times this week, I write down every ride I have had, every winner.

“It is 9573 rides so far with 1778 winners.”

Ballard has a book of five rides on Saturday, including one for his trainer wife Denise.

Ballard worked full time at Hastings Deering along with CW Electrical for most of his career.

He holds winning Townsville’s famed Cleveland Bay Handicap as one of the biggest wins of his career.

“When I started getting rides, we used to listen to the Cleveland Bay in Townsville, it wasn’t broadcast locally so we used to get the radio in a power box over at the Longreach racetrack to listen to some of the great horses that had gone from Longreach to compete in it,” he said.

“There was always something about the Cleveland Bay because it’s something everyone in the bush wanted to do.

“I was able to go up there and win it, which was a really great achievement.”

Australia's oldest active jockey, Keith Ballard, is set to hang up the saddle after this Saturday's meeting at Julia Creek. @Chargey76 sat down with the legendary 71-year-old to learn more about his career in racing 👏@RaceQLDpic.twitter.com/R4y5uZb9BA

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 11, 2024

The 71-year-old has long contemplated retiring from the saddle, but says his “addiction” to racing has kept him going.

“I do love it, it’s an addiction really,” he said.

“I have missed a few things in my life because I had to go to the races, so now it will nice to go to some of those things.

“The only thing that will be changing in my life is that I won’t be riding racehorses on Saturday afternoon at the races.

“I will be strapping them for my wife instead, I will still be at the races.

“For the last few years I kept telling myself it’d be the last year, but I kept staggering on for another one.”

Ballard has enjoyed a send off at a number of country tracks over the past month and will get an extra one at Mt Isa on Saturday after originally bidding farewell to punters there on Monday, before the Julia Creek meeting was moved.

While he’d love to finish with a winner, he says he is proud of what he has achieved regardless.

“We spend all our life wishing for stuff we don’t get, so riding a winner on Saturday isn’t essential and I’m so grateful to everyone that has reached out,” he said.

Originally published as Moon landings to Cleveland Bays: Australia’s oldest jockey Keith Ballard signs off at Mt Isa after 55-year career