Popular North Queensland jockey set to retire

By Jordan Gerrans

Popular North Queensland jockey Shane Pawsey will this Saturday walk away from race riding after an extensive career in the saddle that spanned multiple decades and several states of Australia.

The 52-year-old has endured a constant battle with his weight and injuries in recent years and has opted to retire from the game to ensure he has long-term quality of life.

Despite a number of lengthy setbacks, the determined hoop has always fought his way back to do what he loves.

After years of overcoming obstacles to continue with his passion, Pawsey will hang up the saddle and whip on Saturday evening after riding at Innisfail for one last time.

The father of three daughters has been told by doctors he has no bone density in his back and if he was to have another serious fall, he faces a serious health risk.

"I am really enjoying my riding at the moment but my back has been so sore of late," Pawsey said on Thursday afternoon. 

"I have not been able to ride much work in the morning because of it and have had to ride heavy as I am not as fit as what I could be at the moment.

"All my injuries from over the years are coming back to haunt me now.

"I’ve had a fair innings out of riding."

After nearly 37 years in the game, Pawsey says he will miss the competition of race riding the most. 

He will soon see a specialist for further tests on his sore back. 

The respected rider kicked off his career back in 1988 and the job has taken him through NSW, the ACT, Victoria and then on to Queensland.

While the vast majority of Pawsey’s rides across his career were on the country and provincial circuit, he showed in his early days as a hoop he could mix it with the best in the land.

The now Cairns-based rider has metropolitan victories in Sydney on his resume as well as riding in Group 1s – including the Champagne Stakes - and being placed at stakes level.

He kicked off his journey as an apprentice at Wellington in country NSW as a youngster before enjoying a time at Randwick on loan. 

He rode at the metropolitan level when he relocated to Queensland, as well.

The best horse Pawsey ever rode was a galloper named Into The Night. 

He won on debut at Canberra on Into The Night in October of 2001 and was the pilot in his following two starts. 

Into The Night went on to be competitive at Group level for the rest of his career - including running third in a Stradbroke Handicap - but connections opted to put on champion hoops such as Darren Beadman and Damien Oliver, among others, when he raced at the elite level. 

All up, the hard-working jockey has 549 winners to his name and he has every chance to crack the 550 milestone with strong engagements this Saturday at Innisfail.

Across the six event non-TAB program from Innisfail’s Pease Park, the retiring jockey has a full book of rides, many of which will be in the market.

Pawsey has not limped to the line as he nears retirement, either.

He has won the Gordonvale and Atherton Cups over the last month, both on the Janel Ryan-trained Fast Train.

Ryan also delivered Pawsey a feature sprint race triumph with consistent galloper Space Time during the Cairns Amateurs Cup carnival of last year.

Fast Train will contest the Johnstone River Handicap – the feature sprint race for the year on the Cassowary Coast - this Saturday, which also doubles as a qualifier for the Country Stampede Final in Brisbane later this year.

Pawsey has endured a stop-start last decade or so years as a jockey.

He had to fight his way back from a fracture in his neck in September of 2020 after suffering a fall on a two-year-old, before making a comeback in July of 2021.

He was on the sidelines between May 2015 until September of 2018 as he struggled with injuries, his weight and a skin cancer scare.

“I have always had that competitive edge and you really miss that side of it when you are not riding,” Pawsey said.

“I have always had a passion for racing and the industry.”

The smiling hoop has most certainly left his mark on the racing industry in North Queensland after relocating to the area in 2012.

Cairns trainer Trevor Rowe – who will leg-up Pawsey on Acctories on Saturday – has always spoken highly of the retiring hoop.

“He is a very good rider and the best thing about Shane is that he tells it how it is,” Rowe said. 

“He is reliable and he is very, very experienced as well as being a good bloke and a good rider.”

Former North Queensland jockey Ronnie Ryan – the husband of trainer Janel – was always quick to book Pawsey for their runners.

The Ryans give Pawsey three of his last six rides on Saturday.

“He is a good judge of pace, he is a jockey you can talk too about the horse,” Ronnie said.

“He tells you straight.”

Pawsey has also been regarded as a fantastic mentor to younger riders throughout his tenure in the industry.