Close to 30 years of active involvement in virtually every part of the sport from driving to administration was recognised in Wellington on Saturday when Robert Hutton, 68, from Kinloch near Taupo, was awarded life membership of KartSport New Zealand, the 25^th such appointment in the sport’s 60 year history.

Best known for the ground-breaking work he did from 2001 until 2019 as the KartSport New Zealand organisation’s first development and administration manager, Hutton’s involvement with karts and karting began in Wellington back in 1991 when he and wife Chris bought a kart and both joined the KartSport Wellington club.

Over the next 12 years he competed extensively both at his home track, and at sprint as well as road race circuits all over the country, earning a club championship title in the Yamaha Heavy class in 1994, the Yamaha Heavy class championship title in the WPKA Goldstar series in 1997 and two North Island Road Titles (2000 Yamaha GP and 2002 Yamaha Championship).

It was while President of the Wellington club in 1995 and 1996, and later President of the WPKA, that Hutton, who at the time held senior marketing positions in the Capital, was first able to put his administration and planning skills to use.

His first major achievement as President of the Wellington club was successfully driving an ambitious project to extend the track at Kaitoke north of Upper Hutt. The development of a long term site plan was key to the facility being what it is today, one of the country’s premier karting complexes.

That effort, together with continuous club administration service since 1991, later earned Hutton Life Membership of the KartSport Wellington club but also paved the way for his move from Wellington to Auckland with the brief from the KartSport New Zealand Clubs and Executive to set up a professional ‘National Office.’

The brief was broad and open-ended, but with ambitious new external funding goals, and Hutton attacked it with vigour.

As KartSport New Zealand’s current President Graeme Moore told those who gathered at the KartSport Wellington clubrooms for the award ceremony on Saturday.

“I can’t begin to cover off a fraction of the achievements and improvements Robert has brought to the sport since it was a fragmented, unbranded group of independent bodies to what is now regarded as one of the premier athletic sporting bodies in the country.

‘He has worked with all manner of Executive and Presidents with all manner of styles and agendas but has always stayed true, like no other,  to the vision and values that power our Constitution.”

Amongst those Hutton forged professional ties with on behalf of KartSport was Craig McFarlane, the National Partnership Manager for Sport New Zealand.

“It is pleasing to acknowledge the role of Robert Hutton and recognise his Life Membership accolade,” McFarlane said. “ Robert has certainly been heavily immersed in the KartSport world for many years and his involvement in the sport has spanned every imaginable corner.”

As well as both competing themselves when they lived in Wellington, Hutton and wife Chris’ son Arie, 25, is a multi-time NZ Sprint kart champion who this year finished second in class at the annual ROK Cup Superfinal meeting in Italy.

Hutton remains active within the sport’s administration and is currently patron of the KartSport Wellington club and a trustee of the Colin Dale Park KartSport Development Charitable Trust.

CAPTION:

KartSport New Zealand’s latest Life Member, Robert Hutton, with the special kart steering wheel award created to mark the occasion. Photo credit: KartSport Wellington/Wayne Keats

Prepared by FAST COMPANY on behalf of KartSport New Zealand. To find out more about KartSport in New Zealand contact Ross MacKay on 021 677 919 or via e-mail at ross@fastcompany.co.nz

Presentation Speeches and Accolades

Presentation made to Robert Hutton at the KartSport New Zealand National Endurance Championships Saturday 21 November 2020

Brent Melhop (President Wellington, Vice President KartSport New Zealand)

Ayton Senna won F1, Jim Richards won the Australian Touring Car Championship, driving a Nissan Skyline GT-R, the Bathurst Tooheys 100 was won by Jim Richard and Mark Skaife. Interesting that the year the first website went online and the year when 14.4 kbps modems were introduced. How fast (slow) is that? Well, going full blast, a 14.4 kbps modem would take 9 minutes 15 seconds to download a 1MB file. Life was a little different way back then.

But 29 years ago almost to the day a young Wellington fellow joined Kartsport New Zealand on the 22nd Nov 1991 according to our records, convinced by a fellow Wellington member that this karting thing was a great idea, he purchased a kiwi kart and his karting career began.

Little did he know what that decision would mean to his next 29 years. Robert raced back then in Yamaha, with success and his name is on our Kartsport Wellington Honours board in the clubrooms:

1994 Club Champ in 100cc Yamaha Heavy

1994 Annual Points Champ 100cc Yamaha Heavy

1997 WPKA Goldstar Series winner 100cc Yamaha Heavy

2000 Road Race North Island Title in 100cc Yamaha Situp class

2002 Road Race North Island Title in 100cc Yamaha Situp class

And in 1995 and 1996 President of the then Wellington Kart Club,  the track you are all about to race on was the design and brainchild of Robert, he drove the project to extend our track and develop our facilities and give the club the vision on what we have today. The hours, days and weeks Robert you have put into this club can never fully be understood, but we at Wellington are forever grateful for your input into your club

Robert became the 28th Life Member of Kartsport Wellington and in 2019 became our current and continuing Patron. With Wellington sorted Robert focus moved to the national body and in 2001 became the first employee of Kartsport New Zealand and for some background on that our president Graeme Moore has a few words.

Graeme Moore KartSport New Zealand President

Thank you President Melhop, first I must say what an honour it is to be able to say a few words about Mr Robert Hutton. 

Robert has served KartSport New Zealand for nigh on 20 years and for many of those years I have had the immense pleasure of working with Robert during my time on the KartSport New Zealand executive. 

Robert has been the backbone of our sport since the turn of the century. He has been the most devout and passionate employee, the strongest advocate, the most knowledgeable advisor and above all the guiding light for so many of our classes, clubs innovations and exploits nationally and on the world stage.

A passionate karter himself, that passion possibly only exceeded by his own family, Arie Hutton, of course, a world-class athlete and Chris Hutton not only the rock that kept Robert sustained over decades of service but an equally fierce competitor. Fierce competitor being an understatement!

I can't begin to cover off a fraction of the achievements and improvements Robert has brought to the sport since the turn of the century and now regarded as one of the premier athletic organisations in the country. Robert has worked with all manner of Executive and Presidents with all manner of styles and agenda’s but he has always stayed true to the vision and values that power our Constitution like no other.

Robert would lend his hand to any project, help any karter be they rookie or elite.  Never one to hold back I remember him pulling a father and young son aside at Mt Wellington and making it clear they were never going to make it by being a one-track wonder but needed to grow some and get out and compete at more club regional club days and series like Top Half etc.  Needless to say, we did what we were told and never looked back and like so many Robert has helped went on to live a fantastic family experience in KartSport 

I have a habit of using analogies and I’m afraid I have to share one that may need censoring. 

In my role of President, neither I nor the executive team could have achieved the sport's transition from its old ways into 21’s century with the introduction of so much more parity and process perfection, the incredible growth in profile and professionalism the sport now exudes let alone coped with the day to day barrage of bull you face so often in these leadership positions. 

Roberts Wikipedia-like font of knowledge and religious fervour in always researching and tabling the real facts and data has underpinned our immense success as a sport over recent years.  Robert was always constantly working away often seven days a week in the bowels of our organization, Robert just got shit done and then as always then let the executive and his Presidents take the glory!

I can honestly say I have never known a person to work so hard for so little in terms of reward or recognition other than Mr Robert Hutton. On behalf of Brent, myself, the Executive and all of KartSport it is our honour and privilege to award Robert Hutton Our 25th KartSport New Zealand Life Membership 

Additional Accolades:

Craig MacFarlane National Partnership Manager:

Sport New Zealand: At Sport New Zealand, we want to see everybody Active in New Zealand. To achieve this, our role is to contribute to the wellbeing of everybody in New Zealand by leading an enriching and inspiring Play, Active Recreation and Sport system. However, a critical piece of the puzzle in achieving this, is the thousands of individuals up and down the country that give their time, energy and skills to their chosen activity, whether they be as volunteers or part of the paid workforce. They are the ones that shape the quality experiences for all individuals and the ones that enable sport and recreation opportunities to occur. They are an immensely valuable resource in the play, active recreation, and sport sector. We need to hold onto and appreciate these amazing people.

Therefore, it is pleasing to acknowledge the role of Robert Hutton and recognise his Life Membership accolade. Robert has certainly been heavily immersed in the KartSport world for many years and his involvement has spanned almost every imaginable corner of the sport. Robert of course spent many years as the conduit between Kart Sport NZ, the clubs, tracks, sponsors, promoters, the trade and industry, as well as other stakeholders including Sport NZ. Such is the character and commitment of Robert that even upon retiring from his role at Kart Sport NZ, he couldn’t be kept away for long when there was the need at the National office. Congratulations on the award Robert. It’s certainly thoroughly deserved. 

Article added: Monday 23 November 2020

Article updated Tuesday 24 November: Speeches and message from Sport New Zealand added