Clark has decided to call time on his riding career after almost 21 years in the saddle.

The loss of some close friends over the past 12 months made Clark realise there is more to life, and that, combined with a waning passion for race riding, made it a straight forward decision.

“It’s been coming on for 12 months or so,” Clark said.

“I lost one of my main supporters (Tricia Anderson) on Christmas Eve last year, and a few friends throughout the year, too, which hasn’t helped.

“It’s put things in perspective and definitely opened up my eyes to what I’m missing out on racing. It’s not just the racing side of things, it’s the sweating, it’s the dieting, exercising and that. That’s also time away from the family as well.”

Clark was virtually an instant success in the Southern District after beginning his apprenticeship under Peter Clancy at Leeton.

He spent four weeks with Ron Quinton in Sydney before realising the city was not for him, and reached the height of his success when he claimed the 2007-08 Southern District jockey’s premiership.

Clark will not be lost to racing and has accepted a position with Racing NSW as apprentice mentor and coach in the Southern District.

He will also continue to ride trackwork.

“The passion has died a little bit. I was still riding winners and still having a pretty good run but the passion has died off in the racing part of it,” Clark explained.

“When this job come up, I took it with both hands. It’s still kept me at the races and I’m sort of giving back to what has given me my career.”

Clark is the second significant loss to the region’s jockey ranks after his good mate, Andy Bloomfield, retired in May last year.

Clark said he is looking forward to spending more time with his  beautiful wife Michele and daughters Imogen and Mollie.

He has also joined the Seventh Light Horse Troop in a bid to ‘keep the dream alive’ of his good mate, Luke Dowell, whose life was tragically taken in September.