Jockey on Missen to go out on a high

By Jordan Gerrans

Scratch maps of Australia are usually reversed for grey nomads who are ticking off all the towns they have visited along their journey. 

For retiring hoop Jason Missen, he has used a scratch map across his career in the saddle to record all the country Cups he has lifted across his tenure as a jockey dating back to the middle of the 1990s.

The 49-year-old has called the Central West of Queensland home over the last few years and will hang up the boots on Saturday afternoon following the Blackall meeting which signals the end of the local season.

Living and working in Barcaldine has been a fruitful move for Missen as he will be a two-time district premiership-winning rider following Saturday.

And, he has also largely added to his scratch map of Cup triumphs.

This year alone, he has added the Betoota, Muttaburra, Ilfracombe and Quilpie to his hit-list, which also included Tambo, Isisford, Blackall, Cloncurry and Longreach from previous campaigns.

When he reflects on his career in the coming years, the big bush Cup victories are what will stand out in his mind. 

“I have worked hard with my trackwork the last couple of years out here and it has paid dividends,” Missen said.

“Every country Cup is special; I love winning those – they are great.

“They are always good because they are the feature races on the day for that town and track.

“They are always the ones that you want to win.

“They are the highlights, alongside with the premierships.”

Also on the scratch map of Australia are Cup spoils at Nanango, Bundaberg, Burrandowan and Jandowae when he was based closer to the coast while in an earlier riding stint in Victoria, he has a couple of markers down there, as well. 

Missen claimed the 2024 Central West riding premiership and has an unassailable lead going into the final meeting of the 2025 campaign over rival Robert Faehr.

The retiring Missen has been a significant asset to the local industry in the CW area in recent years to have a senior rider to complete trackwork and book on race days. 

After moving to Barcaldine to work for the leading local Toni Schofield camp in early 2024, Missen is ready for the next stage of his life.

He had been a ‘fly-in fly-out’ or ‘drive-in drive-out’ rider to regional Queensland before making the permanent move.

Missen says he still feels good physically and mentally to continue riding but is keen to explore new avenues.

“I have had a great time, it has been really good out here,” he said.

“I am looking forward to going back to a Monday to Friday normal job and having my weekends away from work, while also being closer to family in Brisbane.

“I have had great support from the trainers and owners out here in the Central West since I have been here, most weeks I go to the races and get a winner.

“I have really enjoyed it. If I was 20 years of age, I would stay a lot longer, but I am getting a bit older now and it is time for a change.

“It is just time to make a change for myself and my wife.” 

He is eager to go out a winner at Blackall on Saturday with his final rides in the area. 

Missen was hopeful of a fairytale finish of riding at Doomben on the program for the Country Cups Challenge and Country Stampede Final.

But, it is unlikely to come to fruition, unless he gets a booking out of the blue between now and December 6. 

The hoop had held discussions with Emerald conditioner Glenda Bell about riding one of her horses in the rich deciders. 

“Jason and I spoke about him riding one of my horses in the Final but in the end, I will only have two runners where I thought earlier, I may have three,” Bell said.

“I would have loved to give him a ride in town before he finished up.

“As it turns out, Emma Bell will ride one of mine as she has been on the horse throughout while the other one will be ridden at True Weight, which will likely be too light for Jason.”

Missen rode more than 20 winners in each of the last two seasons and already has 13 to his name in 2025-26 term. 

He has collected 67 winners for Schofield alone in recent campaigns.