Styring called 40 Deniliquin Cup races before his retirement in 1992, and was a huge supporter of the Deniliquin Racing Club.
For his efforts, he was made a life member of the local sporting club.
Fellow life member Peter Joss said Styring’s distinctive turn of phrase was his signature style.
‘‘Race goers will recall some of his unique utterances: ‘Bearing his molar to the breeze’, ‘he has raised the whip but only to brush the flies away’, ‘no good looking over your shoulder, son, you will only see the ambulance’, ‘going home as straight as a gun barrel’ and ‘mouth open like a mother cod calling for its young’.
‘‘He was a great and loyal supporter of Deniliquin racing and retained a close friendship with local owners and trainers.
‘‘When a locally connected horse won on its home track he would immediately state its winning form and bloodline going back several generations.
‘‘In fact he had an encyclopaedic knowledge of bloodlines and was frequently consulted by owners when considering a racehorse purchase.
‘‘Jack, after race calling, continued his journalistic interests with thought provoking articles in a number of racing journals. Observers could often see him — on TV, at metropolitan races standing near the mounting yard making notes on his laptop.’’
Joss said Styring’s generosity also benefitted the local club.
‘‘On one occasion he donated a pony to be raffled by the Deniliquin Jockey Club and the club invited him to draw the winning ticket.
‘‘With his usual flourish he drew the winning ticket and with some embarrassment, he announced the winner as ‘Jack Styring’.
‘‘Needless to say he redrew the raffle.’’
The Styring name was also the biggest in the commentary box at the Gunbower Cup on no fewer than 60 occasions.
From 1952 to 2010, Styring called Gunbower’s premier thoroughbred race meeting, a feat recognised in the annals of the Guinness World Record books.
Gunbower Racing Club president Mick Farrant marvelled at Styring’s longevity, and paid tribute to a legend of country racing.
‘‘He was a legend of country racing in any terms,’’ Farrant said.
‘‘If you measure up 60 years of continuous or consecutive calling, never missing one in 60 years — that’s my lifetime.
‘‘He never missed a year — that’s a big effort. Who do you know that’s been to the football for 60 years without missing a game?’’
Farrant remembered Styring not only as the iconic caller, but also as a ‘‘dapper’’ gentleman around the club.
‘‘I was president for the last five years of his calling at Gunbower,’’ Farrant said.
‘‘In his day, he was a very dapper man.
‘‘He was pretty friendly with some of the old stalwarts at the club that have been around forever and a day.’’
