Recipients’ sectors range from dairy to apiculture and achievements cover many aspects of rural business and life.
This year’s honours cover the rich and varied opportunities New Zealand’s rural sector offers; including supporting the community, whether it be through education, wellbeing initiatives, or maintaining a communal place to meet.
Vincent Ashworth has contributed to agriculture in New Zealand and internationally since 1970.
As a senior agriculturalist with the World Bank, Ashworth led missions to help farmers with food production in more than 30 developing countries.
Notably, he did major work to improve farming practices in countries with harsh environments for agriculture, including Afghanistan, Yemen and Ethiopia.
Recognising the lack of support for farmers on best practice farming, he established Ashworth and Associates in 1960, a farm management consultancy practice, the first of its kind in New Zealand. He led international work through the consultancy to Afghanistan and Western Samoa.
Following his consultancy success, he launched the New Zealand Society of Farm Management in 1969, serving as inaugural president, with thousands of farmers benefitting from research findings to improve their practices.
He is a published author of six books since 2009 and has been recognised with two medals from Lincoln University for his contributions to agricultural consultancy and the university’s cultural heritage.
He was a member of Save the Children New Zealand Overseas Projects Committee from 1978 to 1988, serving as chair for three years.
Ashworth is a Life Member of the New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management and the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural Science.
Officer of The New Zealand Order of Merit
Gordon Glentworth - for services to the livestock and dairy industries
Gordon Glentworth has been involved with artificial breeding and genetics with the Livestock Improvement Association (LIA) and Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) for over 35 years.
Glentworth has helped shape different breeding agreements, particularly for the Ayrshire breed to ensure this relatively minor breed within the New Zealand dairy cow population has survived and prospered.
He has been a member of the New Zealand Ayrshire Association Board since 1989 and served two terms as president; and has been on the Ayrshire Artificial Breeding Committee since 1991 and is currently chair. Glentworth was elected to the World Ayrshire Federation from 2000 to 2020, serving four years as chair.
He is also the national chair of the New Zealand Vet Club Association.
Since the early 1990s, Glentworth has been involved with contract mating inspections, certifying numerous bulls and completing contract bull buying for LIA and LIC.
He has visited Europe more than 20 times to examine the genetics of “red” breeds, particularly around the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands and Scandinavia.
Glentworth has been a driving force in the supply of elite Scandinavian Ayrshire genetics into the New Zealand herd. His Sanrosa Ayrshire herd has received the Mayfield Trophy for the top-producing Ayrshire herd in New Zealand 24 times since 1987.
Jamie Mackay - for services to broadcasting and the rural community
The Country's Jamie Mackay has been named an Officer of The New Zealand Order of Merit.
Jamie Mackay is a pioneer of rural commercial radio, driving the broadcasting of rural content nationally in mainstream media through New Zealand’s leading rural network show The Country.
In 1994, Mackay purchased 4ZG in Gore, the radio station now known as Hokonui, from the Government and began a daily five-minute rural segment broadcast, which quickly evolved into a one-hour show format
In 2007 he obtained a nationwide slot on Radio Sport through The Radio Network, and The Farming Show was born. In 2016 The Farming Show became The Country and was added to more markets on Newstalk ZB’s network, with the exception of Auckland and Wellington.
In 2021, Mackay went into bat for “The Best of The Country”, his round-up of the top interviews of the week, and fought to get the show into the remaining metro markets, to strengthen the understanding of rural New Zealand in all urban centres.
Away from the studio, Mackay has been rural New Zealand’s voice in mainstream media and acted as MC for numerous rural events and awards ceremonies. He donates his MC fees to charities, most notably the IHC Calf and Rural Scheme, where he’s taken over the Ambassador’s role from his boyhood hero, Sir Colin “Pinetree” Meads.
A staunch supporter of “looking after the top paddock” he has been a prominent advocate for rural mental health and wellbeing initiatives.
Mackay has been president of the Riversdale Rugby Club, a trustee of Sport Southland and the Mataura Licensing Trust, and a Gore district councillor.
In 2006 he was awarded the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists’ Agricultural Communicator of the Year.
The Country is owned by NZME, publisher of The Herald. NZME CEO Michael Boggs said it was a well-deserved honour for Mackay.
“He has created a tight knit community through The Country, growing it from something he started on his farm in Riversdale 30 years ago to what it is now as New Zealand’s flagship agricultural show. Jamie plays a hugely important role in connecting with our rural communities and has given so much more of himself through other activities and events too. We’re absolutely thrilled.”
NZME chief audio officer Jason Winstanley said celebrating The Country’s 30-year anniversary with Mackay just a few weeks ago in Southland “was a real privilege. With hundreds of people turning out in support, it was a sign of just how respected he is, not just as a broadcaster, but in the massive amount of work he does for his community. He’s an extremely talented broadcaster and a brilliant person, and we’re so proud to see him awarded in this respect today.”
And Rowena Duncum, NZME Commercial Lead – Rural and previous Executive Producer for The Country – said: “Having worked alongside Jamie for the past eight years, including six as his producer, I know just how much he values the opportunity to give voice to rural matters every day. But this goes beyond just ‘doing his job.’ From normalising the conversation around rural mental health and advocating for the IHC Calf and Rural Scheme as its ambassador, through to holding politicians and leaders to account, for more than 30 years, Jamie has kept rural New Zealand at the heart of everything he does. I’m delighted he has been honoured today - it is so very well deserved.”
Noel McCutcheon - for services to the thoroughbred and harness racing industries
Noel McCutcheon has been involved with the New Zealand thoroughbred and harness racing industries for more than 65 years, notably as Chief Stipendiary Steward for thoroughbred racing for 26 years.
McCutcheon had a successful career as a jockey, riding three Derby winners in the 1960s. Following an injury, he became a harness trainer and driver.
McCutcheon joined New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing in 1980 as a part-time steward based in Levin, becoming fulltime in 1983.
He became chief stipendiary steward from 1990 until 2006, travelling the country to oversee race meetings.
McCutcheon has been instrumental in consistently applying the rules and regulations of the thoroughbred industry at race day and non-race day hearings, in an industry with significant financial implications and impact on public trust and confidence.
He is held in high regard by trainers, jockeys, drivers and owners as being firm, fair, objective and of total integrity.
McCutcheon has helped 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 he retired from race day involvement in 2023, McCutcheon served on judicial committees for the Judicial Control Authority and the Racing Integrity Board, and was also an appellant judge.
Member of The New Zealand Order of Merit
Reid Fletcher - for services to the wine industry
Reid Fletcher has dedicated himself to the Gisborne region’s grape growing and wine industry for almost 50 years.
Since Fletcher and his wife planted their first grapes at Patutahi in 1974, he has represented Gisborne growers on boards and committees, provided mentorship and supported others in the industry.
In 1975 he became secretary of the Gisborne Produce Grower’s Association and served on the region’s Grape-Growers Association committee between 1977 and 2005.
As a New Zealand Grape Growers Council member, Fletcher was instrumental in its 2002 amalgamation with NZ Winemakers to form New Zealand Winegrowers (now known as New Zealand Wine). For his role in this work, he was recognised as one of two inaugural Fellows of New Zealand Winegrowers in 2006.
As a co-founder and chairman for 20 years of GisVin and through his roles on viticultural industry bodies, mentoring and advocacy for technological advancement, Fletcher has not only helped improve the sustainability of the Gisborne wine industry but the New Zealand wine industry as a whole.
For his community roles on the Pātūtahi School Board, Pātūtahi Reserves Board and Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union Judicial Committee, Fletcher received civic awards from the Gisborne District Council in 2008.
Murray King - for services to the dairy industry
Murray King has helped promote and develop New Zealand’s dairy sector through multiple directorships, particularly in the Nelson/Tasman district.
King and his wife farm several dairy properties in the North Canterbury and Nelson regions.
He has championed innovation and collaboration through his directorships in several organisations, including board chair of the Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) from 2009 to 2023, Cawthron Institute, and as chairman of Waimea Irrigators Limited since 2016.
King has given his time to support industry-led initiatives, such as the “To The Core” and Fonterra governance development programmes, initiatives to improve environmental sustainability, and the rapid response to the 2017 Mycoplasma Bovis outbreak.
In 2001 he attended the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme and was a recipient of the Nuffield scholarship in 2003.
King was named LIC’s Co-operative Leader of the Year in 2018, for his leadership and advocacy of the co-operative model.
He was recognised in 2023 with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the New Zealand Co-op Awards.
In 2023 King became a Trustee of the New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust and Nuffield New Zealand, supporting the ongoing development of leaders for rural New Zealand.
Sam Lewis - for services to business and the community
Sam Lewis has been involved with farming and various community organisations in the Waikato/King Country since the 1970s.
Lewis owns a dry-stock farm in the Waikato region and previously in the King Country.
He was treasurer of Waikato Federated Farmers for nine years, coinciding with economic reforms that were ushered in during the mid-1980s to the early 1990s.
During this time, he acted as a key support person and mentor for several vulnerable farmers, assisting them in successfully restructuring their business activities and ensuring that their mental wellbeing needs were supported.
Lewis has chaired Affco New Zealand Ltd since 1999, a meat processor with 12 plants around New Zealand, exporting products to more than 80 countries.
He is the director of Open Country New Zealand and a former director of FMG Insurance.
Lewis was instrumental in fundraising $2 million for a building project for Gracelands Community Trust (now Enrich+); which supports and enables young people and adults with disabilities to engage in employment or contribute to their communities.
Lewis has supported Commsafe, a charitable trust based in Te Awamutu, through Affco and Open Country Sponsorship to support people working together to build a safer and healthier community.
Allen McCaw - for services to the apiculture industry
Allen McCaw has made a significant contribution to New Zealand’s beekeeping industry over 48 years.
McCaw and his wife have co-owned their Otago beekeeping and honey-packing business since 1977.
He has worked to support and promote the marketing of New Zealand honey, including the growth of the fledgling mānuka honey industry in the 1980s and 1990s.
McCaw helped foster collaboration and formalise the apiary industry’s planning through a variety of leadership roles, including in the New Zealand Honey Packers and Exporters Association, Honey Industry Trusts, and executive of the National Beekeepers Association, of which he was made a Life Member in 2007.
As a member of the Bee Products Standards Council between 2005 and 2016, he assisted in developing agreed industry procedures for food safety and exporting standards, including monofloral mānuka.
McCaw also volunteered on the Apicultural Industry Unification Project in 2015 and 2016, which brought beekeepers together in a new organisation, Apiculture New Zealand.
He invented an innovative honey drip tray pallet to store honey supers during the extraction process.
A sought-after speaker at industry conferences, field days and seminars, McCaw has received multiple awards in the ApiNZ National Honey Competition, including the Supreme Champion Award in 2016.
Tony McGovern - for services to the racing industry
Tony McGovern has had a 50-year career in the thoroughbred racing industry as a chief starter in New Zealand and Hong Kong.
McGovern started his career in the New Zealand horse racing industry in 1972 initially as a starting gates barrier attendant and then from 1990 as a chief starter.
As chief starter for the Upper North Island, he officiated all race meetings, including Group One races, the New Zealand Derby, Auckland Cup, and the Karaka Million.
In 2003 McGovern was appointed chief starter by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, where for the next 13 years until his retirement in 2016, he oversaw all their race days, at two courses, where over 700 races are run each season.
Since 2020 he has provided advisory services to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing on starting procedures for races, mentored a new generation of industry participants, and continues the role of chief starter for several race meetings each year. McGovern is a member of the Cambridge Jockey Club.
The King’s Service Medal
Peter McNeur - for services to education and the community
Peter McNeur has been a key member of the National Executive of the Rural Education and Activities Programme (Reap) and was director of Reap Wairarapa from 1992 to 2023, organising Reap national conferences in Wellington every two years.
McNeur instigated and supported numerous initiatives on the east side of Masterton, an area high on the Deprivation Index, notably the re-establishment of the Early Childhood Centre as Ko Te Aroha Centre.
He initiated the Computers in Homes digital literacy project in 2011, helping families across the Wairarapa with school-aged children gain access to digital technologies and for parents to access training to support their children.
McNeur was a key member of the team that initiated the White Ribbon movement in the Wairarapa. He helped establish the Wairarapa Men’s Shed, writing their inaugural constitution.
He collaborated on Project Probe from 2000 to 2010, as a member of a trust acting on behalf of the Tararua-Wairarapa region to extend broadband access to rural areas using schools as the connection point.
McNeur was a founding trustee and secretary of the Digital Seniors Community Board, to help Wairarapa seniors engage with technology.
He is active with the Wairarapa Workforce Development Trust, and Wairarapa Vintage Aviation Hub Community Trust and served as president of the Wairarapa Photography Club.
Fay Taylor - for services to the community
Fay Taylor joined the Women’s Division Federated Farmers Henley Branch, now Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ), and has been a member for 66 years holding offices at local and regional levels.
Through Rural Women New Zealand, Taylor has helped raise thousands of dollars for local, national and international women’s projects.
She was a branch delegate to the 2023 Rural Women New Zealand conference in Christchurch.
Taylor has been president of the Momona Hall committee since 1992, ensuring it has remained open for the community to use.
She has also been involved with the indoor bowls association at Momona Hall.
Taylor was instrumental in maintaining the Otago Pioneer Women’s Memorial Association hall, acting as caretaker for many years until its sale in 2023.
She joined the association around 2008, at a time when the organisation was at risk of failing, taking on responsibility for ensuring the hall was maintained and kept available for the community.
Taylor has remained steadfast through committee changes and supported the organisation to find a solution to a poor earthquake rating for the hall. She continues to clean the hall voluntarily for the new trust that owns the building.
