Champion NSW country jockey Greg Ryan is on the precipice of career milestone and heads to Tamworth on Tuesday in search of his 3000th winner.

The 47-year-old Dubbo based horseman has ridden 2999.5 winners during his career.

Ryan has seven rides on the eight-race program at Tamworth.

He is third on the all-time list of Australia's winning riders behind Robert Thompson on 3862 and the late Jack Thompson (no relation) on 3322.

"It's taken 20 something years to get there. I didn't realise until someone rang the other day," Ryan said.

"It's been a long slog with a lot of miles logged in between and a lot of hours of hard work.

"Riding is one of those jobs you've got to go flat out all the time. There are no half measures otherwise you get left in the wake.

"You've got to take every opportunity that's thrown at you."

A former motor mechanic, Ryan began his career at 25 when apprenticed to Mick Willis at Wellington. After 12 months he transferred to Gary McCarney, his wife Pauline's uncle.

He rode his first winner, Standard Time, at Wellington on February 9, 1991.

"It was the day Bill Aspros rode the program and I shared a dead heat win with him," Ryan said.

"Ned Dougherty (steward) took the whip off me, said I slaughtered it and my horse should have won easily. He was right.

"There have been a few lessons learned along the way.

"Thankfully I'm still fit and enjoying riding.

"You've got to stay 100 per cent competitive the whole time otherwise other jockeys out there would love to jump into your position at the blink of an eye."

Ryan, like Robert Thompson, is considered a horseman in the true sense of the word.

"I guess it's still more of an art than science," Ryan said.