CALLOW HANDED A THREE MONTH SUSPENSION

By Graham Potter | Thursday, June 12, 2025

Jockey Noel Callow has been suspended for three months after facing a charge of improper brought against him by stewards to which he subsequently entered a guilty plea.

The charge stemmed from Callow’s initiation of a physical altercation in the jockey’s room at Doomben at a midweek Wednesday meeting on May 28.

Callow thus came off second best … in the altercation itself, which initially left him sidelined for under concussion protocols for twelve days, and in the subsequent steward’s inquiry into the incident which culminated in Callow being handed the three-month penalty.

This was the formal handing down of the decision to Callow from stewards.

‘We have arrived at the following penalty. Suspension of your Jockeys licence in full for a period of 3 months to commence midnight 28 May 2025 and to conclude 28 August 2025. Stewards order that the suspension will be reduced to a period of 2 months on the provision of continued attendance with the QJA appointed Sports Psychologist and further completion of an anger management course to be completed within the period of suspension.

Mr Callow was advised of his right to appeal.’

Also noted in the final steward’s report on the matter, which was made public after the official hearings were held behind closed doors, were facts on which they based their assessment.

In summary … with extracts from the steward’s report, the most relevant factors in the sequence of events were that when ‘Mr Wilson-Taylor proceeded to the scales to weigh in with Mr Callow positioned behind him … Mr Callow then positioned himself in close proximity to Mr Wilson-Taylor that then resulted in Mr Wilson-Taylor making contact with Mr Callow in order to exit the scales. Mr Wilson-Taylor has then made the comment “I’m not scared of you” to Mr Callow.’

‘Upon completing being weighed in, Mr Callow has then proceeded to run into the male jockey’s room in pursuit of Mr Wilson-Taylor. Mr Callow has then made aggressive contact to Mr Wilson-Taylor from behind resulting in a physical altercation ensuing between Mr Callow and Mr Wilson-Taylor resulting in both Mr Callow and Mr Wilson-Taylor falling to the ground.

'Shortly after falling onto the ground Mr Wilson-Taylor has then struck Mr Callow twice to the head whilst positioned on top of Mr Callow before other riders, along with steward Mr Fletcher, have then been able to separate Mr Callow and Mr Wilson-Taylor.’

The steward’s panel found that ‘Mr Callow was the sole instigator of the altercation between himself and Mr Wilson-Taylor.'

Before any penalty was handed down, Callow was allowed the opportunity to make submissions on penalty which, amongst other aspects, looked to highlight the fact ‘that jockeys compete in a highly charged and competitive environment’ … where ‘adrenalin runs high and momentary loss of temper can occur’ … and that ‘as quickly as the exchange escalated, it deescalated and was finished. It might have taken 15 or 20 seconds.'

In his submissions Callow also pointed out that ‘there is a big difference between exchanges such as occurred here being carried out in public – with all of the consequential detraction from the image of racing – and exchanges which occur privately. The conduct of the two jockeys here occurred in private.’

The final raft of submissions asked that consideration of penalty should include the fact that Callow’s actions ‘must be weighed against his subsequent restraint, his cooperation during the inquiry, early guilty plea, and steps taken toward rehabilitation’ … and that ‘this was not an incident thought out and planned beforehand. It was a momentary loss of temper, and any penalty should reflect that’ … and that ‘the conduct was out of character with Callow’s conduct over recent times’ … and that ‘he has shown insight by taking steps in seeking assistance with anger management’ … ‘has shown remorse and has apologised in writing’. The submissions called for ‘a penalty at the lower end of the scale for misconduct.’

Stewards weighed up all that was before them and then came to a decision on penalty as described above.

With the suspension dates backdated to the day of the incident, it means that Callow would have been out of action anyway for the first twelve days because of those concussion protocols and, if he then qualifies for his suspension to be reduced from three to two months by satisfying the provisions imposed on him to be able to secure that change, he will effectively serve a suspension of just over a month-and-half.

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