Levin man Noel McCutcheon has been made of Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the King's Birthday Honours List for services to thoroughbred and harness racing.
Levin man Noel McCutcheon has been made of Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the King's Birthday Honours List for services to thoroughbred and harness racing.
Levin man Noel McCutcheon has been appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours for services to the thoroughbred and harness racing industries.
Few people would have made such a varied and important contribution to the industry as McCutcheon, who was New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s chief stipendiary steward from 1990 to 2006 and continued to serve that industry’s judicial system since.
As a former top jockey, he was initially shoulder-tapped as someone ideal for the role and joined New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing in 1980, initially as a part-time steward, becoming fulltime in 1983.
Noel McCutcheon returns to scale aboard Weradon, trained by Barnie Lumsden, at Ōtaki in 1962. It was McCutcheon's 100th winner as an apprentice jockey.
He took to the job with the professionalism it demanded, immersing himself in the Rules of Racing and its application. In an industry with significant financial implications and impact on public trust and confidence, his was a job that came under constant scrutiny and demanded nothing less than the highest standard of integrity.
As chief stipendiary steward he travelled the country to oversee race meetings, instrumental in the consistent application of the rules and regulations of the thoroughbred industry at race day and non-race day hearings.
Former chief stipendary steward Noel McCutcheon, pictured on the job at Trentham in 2003.
McCutcheon was held in high regard by trainers, jockeys, drivers and owners as being firm, fair and objective. He helped to train and integrate other stewards into the system and ensured the Racing Rules Framework in New Zealand evolved and adapted to industry trends.
For 20 years until his retirement from race day involvement in 2023, McCutcheon served on judicial committees for the Judicial Control Authority and the Racing Integrity Board, as well as being an appellant judge.
It was McCutcheon’s broad background in racing and strength of character that made him an ideal candidate for a career in racing’s judiciary.
He had been involved with the racing industry since he began working for Woodville trainer Eric Ropiha as a 10-year-old in 1953, riding horses each morning before attending primary school.
He later joined the stable of Walter McEwan in Ōtaki, with whom he served his jockey apprenticeship. His first winner was on a horse called Breve at Stratford on New Year’s Eve in 1958.
McCutcheon would ride exactly 100 winners in his apprenticeship and in his final year was New Zealand’s top apprentice jockey, after finishing second in the premiership the season prior.
Noel McCutcheon bringing up his 100th winner at Ōtaki aboard Weradon in 1962.
He went on to ride a total of 202 winners as a jockey in New Zealand and six in Australia. Among his list of trophies included three Derby winners: the South Australian Derby on Mission in 1965, and New Zealand Derbys on Royal Duty in 1963 and Pep in 1968.
A bad fall in 1971 saw him sidelined for months, effectively curtailing his riding career. After months on the sideline, he battled with weight on his return.
It was then McCutcheon turned to the harness code, training and driving “20-odd” winners from his Ōtaki base.
Noel McCutcheon winning with Johnny's Imp at Tauranga in 1971.
McCutcheon said the King’s Birthday honour had come as a complete surprise.
While now officially retired, he still keeps a keen eye on the industry and remains a keen follower of racing.
