Hill (42) wants to spend more time with his family and with increased business commitments as well, he has decided to step away from refereeing.
The Alexandra mechanic has officiated in countless games in Central Otago over the years, including 10 finals in a row, and said he would miss it but would still be involved in the game.
He first grabbed the whistle as a teenager.
"I had a motorbike accident when I was 19 and hurt my neck. I was told I was not able to play rugby again,'' he said.
"But I still wanted to stay involved in the game. Before I knew it, I was out in the middle refereeing a game. It was pretty scary. I thought I knew the rules of the game as a player but I did not know them at all.
"I was reasonably young and fit and for the first three or four years got some good comments. I ended up making a South Island squad, which was a step under the national squad.''
Hill was travelling to Dunedin for many games to get some teaching and improve his refereeing, but he never cracked the first-class scene.
That was not a disappointment, as he was happy controlling matches in Central Otago and Otago and continued to do so for many years.
"The game has got a lot faster over the years. It used to be a lot of 10-man rugby but that is not the way the game is played any more.
"The toughest area is the breakdown. And that is not just for a referee. It is the same for a player. There are some real grey areas. Everyone has a different interpretation on them. It is the hardest part of the game for everyone.
"Some days you will go out and ref and you will have a fantastic time. The calls will go well and everyone will buy into it. Then other times you will come off the paddock and think ‘what am I doing here?'''
Officiating in Central Otago was not easy, as it involved a lot of travel.
Some seasons, Hill was doing between 5000km and 8000km in his vehicle as he went to games.
"The thing is, Alexandra is in the middle of everything ... so you end up travelling to some places a lot.''
He said games in Maniototo were always a pleasure and he was well welcomed wherever he went.
There was the odd bit of abuse but he just ignored it and got on with the game.
A highlight was officiating at some games at the Jade Stadium before the Christchurch earthquakes.
He would not be lost to the game, as he would continue to be involved at a junior level with the Alexandra Rugby Football Club.
His daughters were also playing hockey so he wanted to have the time watching them.
His wife, Paula, and children Olivia (14), Jamie (11) and Madison (8) would appreciate him being around for the weekends and with his father, Jeff, retiring from the family automotive business, business commitments were also increasing.
