Judge Dick Hunt’s voice has been a staple at Central Districts race meetings for the best part of half a century, but at Otaki on Saturday he signed off for the last time.

It brings the curtain down on a career that has spanned nearly 58 years in racing, most of which was from the judges box at racing venues throughout the lower North Island.

“I started out as an assistant judge at a Wanganui spring meeting in 1972 for the then judge Keith Hatch. I went along to fill in and on the second day and I became permanent,” Hunt said.

“Keith gradually retired and I got my first job as a judge at Foxton in 1978 and I subsequently became the judge at Trentham, Woodville, Otaki, Masterton and Rangitikei in 1983, Manawatu and Tauherenikau in 1989, Levin in 1990, and Hastings, Waipukurau, Gisborne and Wairoa in 1993.”

Hunt’s judging eye was also cast over harness and greyhound meetings.

“I did the Wellington harness from 1998 until they folded, Manawatu harness from 1992 until earlier this year, and I also did Wanganui, Kapiti Coast and Wairarapa Harness. I judged at the Palmerston North greyhounds as well, which became more permanent 10 years ago, and I finished up there in September last year.”

Hunt had plenty of ground to cover to fulfil his judging duties throughout the lower North Island, and clocked up many miles in the process.

“I estimate I have judged 36,000 races in the three codes over 45 years,” he said.

“I have judged at every racetrack in the lower North Island. There were some years I was doing about 50,000km per year, just travelling around.

“To go to Gisborne, I used to go up and down in the same day. I would leave at 4am and would spend 12 hours travelling, with six or seven hours at the races.”

Reflecting on his judging career, Hunt said he had many highlights, although one day stands out above the rest.

“When Castletown won his third Wellington Cup the atmosphere was great. There were 20,000 people there, the place was jam-packed,” he said.

“They had Rod Stewart and Rachel Hunter there and they sat in a seat right in front of where I was at Trentham. Jonah Lomu was another star there and he was in his prime in those days.”

Trentham may be home to his favourite memory in racing, but it is Otaki that has been his favourite course, so it was only fitting that he signed off for the last time at the Horowhenua venue.

“Otaki has been my favourite, I like the course. The stand there is well positioned, you are almost on the track and the horses are very close,” he said.

While he spent 45 years as a judge, it was in media where Hunt got his start in the industry.

“When I was 20, I got a job as a form compiler at Turf Digest and Sports Week, which were combination form guides in Wellington,” Hunt said.

“I later became the editor of Turf Digest and I was in that position until it got taken over by Sunday News and Best Bets in 1988.

“I then got offered a job as the Friday Flash reporter in the lower North Island. That publication folded in 2006 and at that stage I was 60, so I decided to give it all away and have just done the judging part-time since then.”

Hunt, 78, is now looking forward to retirement, but said he will miss the comradery of attending the races in an official capacity.

“I am going to miss going to race meetings and mingling with the people I work with and discussing what had been happening at the races or rugby the previous night. But I am not going to miss travelling to the races,” he said.

Racing and sport will continue to play a central role in Hunt’s retirement, with the Kapiti Coast resident sharing both interests with his family.

“I spend most of my time watching sport,” he said. “I have got a son, who lives locally, and he is on the same wavelength, and we have some great discussions."