"I have decided to call it a day. I have lost interest since I couldn't ride work," Langford (78) said.
"I got artery trouble and didn't have the power if they [the horses] pulled."
Langford, who has been based at Waimate for 50 years, was riding work until two years ago.
He is unrivalled in the last 100 years for his achievements as a jockey, reinsman and trainer.
He rode winners on the flat, over hurdles and in a steeplechase; rode a pacer to win in saddle, trained and drove a pacer and trotter to win and trained thoroughbreds to win.
His major win as a jockey was the Tally-Ho Handicap on Jamell at the 1950 Otago Hunt meeting at Wingatui. Jamell was one of the all-time greats trained at Wingatui. The Nightly-Palantua gelding won 18 races including the 1951 New Zealand Cup, ridden by Wilson Ellis. Jamell, trained by Fred Shaw, was renowned for winning under big weights. He won a mile and a-quarter (2000m) highweight at Riccarton in February 1950 under the equivalent of 76kg, conceding his rivals up to 19kg.
Jamell won the 1953 Invercargill Cup under 64.5kg and the main handicap the next day at Invercargill with 68.5kg.
Langford began his apprenticeship with Jack Langford at Invercargill and completed his time with Bob Heasley at Wingatui. He is a younger brother to Bren Langford, a top rider over fences and on the flat. Bren died at the age of 34 in 1964, six weeks after he was injured in a fall in a hurdles race at Tauherenikau.
Dick broke nine vertebra in his back in a race fall at the age of 14.
He rode the Heasley-trained Knight Crusader to win a hurdles race at Orari in 1948 and a steeplechase at Invercargill in 1950.
He rode the pacers Merry Morning and South Wind to win in saddle at the Cromwell Jockey Club meetings in 1965 and 1966. Both horses were trained by Les Norman. Saddle events for pacers were discontinued after Alec Mitchell rode Dene Hanover to win on the second day of the 1966 Cromwell March meeting.
Dene Hanover was trained by Peter Gallagher, who rode many winners in saddle.
Langford shifted to Waimate in 1961, taking employment as huntsman for the Waimate Hunt.
He took on training standardbreds and thoroughbreds. His standardbred winners include Loyal Onedin, whom he trained and drove to win the 1981 Waikouaiti Cup. He trained and drove Brooklee Princess to win a race for trotters at Gore in 1982.
Regal Night is the best thoroughbred trained by Langford with six wins, including the 2003 Banks Peninsula Cup and 2004 Winton Cup.
Langford won a race at Oamaru two years ago with Urban Gossip, who has since been retired.
- tayler.strong@alliedpress.co.nz
