For Dan Ballard, crowned last weekend as Champion Country Jockey for a fifth time by Racing Queensland, few truer words have been spoken.

Same goes for Bevan, call my Billy, Johnson, the trainer from Miles who was rated the best in the business in Queensland country districts in 2018-19. As well, his stable star Fab's Cowboy, winner of 32 races including 10 in the past season, has been named Queensland's best country runner.

The Mount Isa-based Ballard just loves the bush and won't be leaving any time soon, if ever.

"I have a great life here," Ballard said.

"It's remote. I don't do the maths on how far I travel but by the end of the season, which goes for nine months out here, it seems like you have driven around the country a couple of times.

"That's part and parcel of being a country rider and the tyranny of distance is not unique to the north-west.

"I have a fantastic job. I am an auto-electrician by trade.

"The Huddy family (Graham and Linda) were generous enough to afford me the opportunity to do an apprenticeship as an auto-electrician with their company when I moved back to Mount Isa after finishing my (riding) apprenticeship.

"More than that, my family and I are settled out here in a wonderful community."

But don't be fool enough to discount Ballard as some bushie, who thinks he can jockey.

He ended the latest racing season with 57 wins and 51 placings in 155 rides, giving him a strike rate of 36.8pc and a startling first three finish rate of 69.7pc.

"It's what I set out to do each year," Ballard said of winning the country premiership.

"if you have a little bit of luck in running and you are on the right horse you can win big races and those achievements are great.

"But I think premierships are only won through consistently turning up and riding well and I take a great deal of pleasure from it.

"I am lucky to ride for people out here who are wonderful supporters and I really appreciate them."

Despite his various successes in 2018-19, Ballard points to a losing assignment as his season highlight.

"I just got beat on Fab's Cowboy in the Country Cups Challenge final in Brisbane and that was a great thrill," he said.

"I have been back out in the country for 13 or 14 years and you begin to doubt whether or not you can hold your own with the city riders and the old horse ran a really well. He deserved to be country horse of the year."

Ahh, best in the bush. Got a ring to it and they'll be around forever because, well because, they're country...

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