Written by Paul Vettise
Trail-blazing jockey Nikita Beriman can look back on a riding career that achieved everything she dreamed of and she has now closed that chapter of her life without any regrets.
The 33-year-old has announced her retirement due to persistent hip problems, but she’s certainly not walking away with any disappointment and will take time out before she decides the future direction of her life.
“I’m happy to walk away knowing I’ve done my best and I’ve got nothing left to prove. I’ve hit all the goals and ambitions I had set myself so I feel fantastic about it, really I do,” Beriman said.
Her highlights include a history-making Group 1 shock in the 2007 Emirates S. at Flemington aboard Tears I Cry (Lacryma Cristi {USA}), a win that was also a first at the highest level for trainer Ciaron Maher.
Nikita Beriman and Ciaron Maher
When Beriman guided Tears I Cry, who started at 100-1, to victory she became the first female to ride a Group 1 winner in Victoria.
Her last success was aboard the John Moloney-prepared Ordell (Fighting Sun) at Echuca in late July and in between times there have been numerous high points for Beriman with a career tally of 695 winners.
“I’ve had ongoing hip issues for the last couple of years now and it’s progressively got worse,” she said.
“I’ve had ongoing hip issues for the last couple of years now and it’s progressively got worse.” – Nikita Beriman
“It’s been in the back of my mind that there’ll come a time when I have to retire and I feel like now is the right time.
“I’m choosing not to have surgery now as I’m young and I don’t want to have to put my body through that time and time again. Once you’ve had one surgery you’ve got to have multiple ones.
“I want to be able to have a family and run around and kick a football and do things like that so I choose to not have the surgery until I pretty much can’t walk.
“I couldn’t deal with the pain of riding so I’ve hung up the boots. I’ve had a great career and achieved everything I wanted to and made some great life friends through racing.”
Nikita Beriman and Tears I Cry winning the 2007 G1 Emirates S.
Tears I Cry’s ground-breaking success aside, it was ironically also a son of Lacryma Cristi (USA) in Lightning Tears, who provided Beriman with another memorable victory.
“My first winner, which was for my Dad Dennis, was another highlight,” she said. “It was May 26, 2002.
“I started with my Dad and went off to a couple of trainers in New South Wales and then I came back to Melbourne and went to Jim Mason, then Lloyd Williams and on from there.”
“I started with my Dad and went off to a couple of trainers in New South Wales and then I came back to Melbourne and went to Jim Mason, then Lloyd Williams and on from there.” – Nikita Beriman
Beriman, who is moving to Caloundra this week to be close to her parents, is open-minded about her future and will take her time before choosing her next career path.
“I started in this industry when I was very young so I’ll have to go back and study, but I’m just not sure in which field yet,” she said.
Beriman also takes great pleasure in the success of her former female jockeys’ room colleagues, particularly Jamie Kah who she took under her wing when the Adelaide rider moved to Melbourne earlier this year.
“Jamie lived with me and she’s like my little sister. She’s a champion and she’s going super, I couldn’t be any more proud of her,” Beriman said.
Jamie Kah who Nikita is very proud of and likened to her 'little sister'
Kah now also shares a Group 1 victory at Flemington at three figure odds with Beriman after causing a boilover with Gatting (Hard Spun {USA}) in Saturday’s Makybe Diva S.
The champion South Australian jockey led a red letter day at the meeting for woman riders with Raquel Clark winning the G2 Danehill S. on the impressive Dalasan (Dalakhani {Ire}) and Linda Meech took the G2 Bobbie Lewis Quality aboard Zoutori (Zoustar).
