Byrne finds purpose beyond the saddle

By Jordan Gerrans

Family and the riding fraternity - those are the key priorities for champion Queensland jockey Jim Byrne as he enters the second half of his life.

The seven-time Group 1-winning hoop officially retired from the saddle earlier this year and he received one of his greatest honours in the sport recently when he was inducted into the Queensland Racing Hall of Fame.

Flanked by his family, friends and long-term supporters at the 2026 Queensland Thoroughbred Awards, the 55-year-old said it was fitting that they were by his side as he did it all for them.

“I think we go to work and what we work for is to ensure security, to ensure the family,” the competitive former rider said.

“My family, for me, is everything. I went to work and I had a team behind me.

"Making sure that team was fed, had a roof over their head, had schooling, were given everything and had every opportunity that I probably wasn't given as a child, was my focus.

“I'd come from a single parent family.”

While Byrne officially called time on his career in February of this year, he had not ridden in a race since April of 2025.

The respected jockey has battled with injuries in the back end of his career, which yielded more than 2,900 winners.

He paid specific tribute to his beloved wife Rhamie, who he says was his rock as he fought back from multiple injury concerns to continue his riding journey, before eventually stepping away.

“The person that should be receiving the award is my wife,” he said.

“She’s been with me all the way through.

“She deserves it. She’s seen the ups, she’s seen the downs, she’s seen when I’m broken. And, I was broken a lot the latter part of my career.

“And, she’s just been the grounding all the way through. She deserves it more than I do, I believe.”

As Byrne is no longer at trackwork in the morning, riding in trials or at the races, he is taking on more jobs on the homefront.

“I’m loving my life at the moment, I think my wife wouldn’t say that,” he said with a smile.

“I’m the housemaid at the moment. She enjoys that part where she doesn’t have to wash, clean or do the dishes.

“But, I’m really enjoying my life after racing and I’m very excited for the second half.”

As well as his cooking and cleaning at home, the former jockey is enjoying more time with his children now that he is no longer riding and is a regular at his sons’ local footy club.

“I annoy my boys at football a lot,” he said.

“I was parking cars at our local footy club that my boys play for just the other day. So, I do enjoy my time away from the industry.

“On Saturdays, I get very itchy feet and you still want to race. So, I try not to go to the races as much as I used to.”

During the back end of his riding career, Byrne became heavily involved in the Queensland Jockeys' Association and now leads the organisation as its president.

Working alongside QJA General Manager Glen Prentice, the retired rider takes great pride in what they have been able to achieve in recent times.

The QJA held its annual reunion day at the Gold Coast Turf Club on Saturday, which is regularly attended by large numbers of former and current hoops from across the Sunshine State.

“To be honest, the second half of my career is not being a jockey,” he revealed.

“The second half of my career is being president of the Jockeys Association.

“Glenn Prentice and myself, and Des O'Keeffe, to an extent, were able to get that Jockeys Association to a position that I’m so proud of.

“These riders now have a proper voice and I think whilst I’m extremely proud of my career, I’ve got to look forward and I’ve got to look to the future.

“I’m extremely proud of what I’ve been able to achieve in making that be successful and making that be a voice that is recognised and a voice that is respected.

“I think that, for me, is what I’m very most proud of.

“Through my 40 years in this industry, I am very proud of my achievements on a racetrack. Off a racetrack, I’m extremely proud of that.

“I’m loving it. Our job is to ensure every jockey goes home safe.”

Like Mick Dittman, Michael Pelling and Mandy Radecker, among others, Byrne is a product of Pat Duff’s production line of quality apprentice riders becoming top senior jockeys.

The late, great Duff was Byrne’s boss in the early days, but he became so much more.

In his own words, Byrne was a bit of a troublemaker as a youngster so the guiding advice from Duff was crucial in his riding career, but also his life more broadly.

He paid special tribute to the late Duff, also a Hall of Famer, when he was inducted late last month. 

“What it means to me is acknowledgement,” he said of the Hall of Fame honour.

“I’ve been very, very fortunate through my career. But, it’s a pat on the back, I think.

“But, again, it’s very humbling.

“At this point in my life, obviously it’s not lost on me. I feel extremely humbled by it.

“It is no different to trainers, we have a team behind us, managers. I’ve had two managers that I’ve had throughout my career.

“Cameron Partington and Trevor Lansky, previous to Cameron. They were instrumental in ensuring the rise that I got. I just feel very, very humbled by it.

“It’s a beautiful acknowledgement. And, for me, it’s a heartfelt thank you.”