Striker: Exit the master jockey
Trainer and old friend Sean Tarry sums it up well: 'If you want to learn how to ride racehorses, just watch Piere Strydom.'
Racing fans in Gqeberha nicknamed Strydom 'Striker' early in his career – when he was starting out as a jockey in his hometown in the 1980s – because of his uncommon ability to precisely judge the pace of a race and fly up from behind to win by a whisker.
His father Hekkie, a former jockey and trainer in the Windy City, lectured him from an early age about a race not being won at the 200m pole but rather at the winning post.
The truth is young Strydom won a lot of races by leading all the way, utilising a coastal tailwind to get away – and stay away – from rivals.
Indeed, in those days frontrunning victories were a lot rarer than they are now and Strydom was influential in major tactical changes in the game – even after he moved to Joburg in 1889/90 and took mainstream racing by storm.
Spectacular career
For anyone who missed it, 59-year-old Strydom announced his retirement from riding this week. He has not renewed his licence for the 2026 season and will ride his last race at the Vaal next week.
The stats: six national jockey championships, four Durban Julys, seven wins on a card twice and 'five thousand, six hundred and, um, nearly twenty' career wins.
The legend: one of the top two South African jockeys of all time, along with Muis Roberts.
The pinnacle: beating the best jockeys and speed horses in the world aboard South Africa's J J The Jet Plane at Sha Tin in the Hong Kong Sprint in 2010.
Piere Strydom after winning the 2016 Durban July on The Conglomerate. Picture: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
Time to call it quits
Speaking on a podcast hosted by his new employer Joao da Mata of Glistian Events, Striker said the time had come to finally hang up his saddle – after threatening to do so for a decade.
'It just came to the point where I didn't feel like getting on a horse,' he said.
'It's always nice to ride these winners, it still gives you a thrill … and knowing that you're doing the job right and to see other people happy. I've always been a competitive person, but how do I compete when I don't want to ride?
'I still do the job I need to do, but when you start thinking about the possibility of getting injured again and stuff like that you know it is time to call it.'
He added that the cost of his insurance policies had also grown unsustainable.
Looking ahead
Strydom will keep busy in a hospitality role for Glistian – mixing with clients/guests at race days, golf days and other fun events.
Racing scribes like me have written many thousands of words in praise of Piere Strydom over the decades.
Racehorse owners like me have seen him win on our nags when the task looked impossible.
Acquaintances such as I have always been touched by the friendliness, warmth and honesty of the man.
There's not much more to say. Go well, Striker!
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