Robert James Skelton (28 December 1934 – 19 August 2016) was a New Zealand

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

who competed from the 1950s through the 1980s. In total he won 2129 races. Among his many major race wins, Skelton rode Great Sensation to three victories in the Wellington Cup in 1961-63 and won the Auckland Cup on Rose Mellay in 1974 and again in 1977 on Royal Cadenza. In 1976, he rode Van der Hum to victory in Australia's most prestigious race, the

Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...

, and ten years later rode Rising Fear into second place in the 1986 Cup. He was also successful in completing a double in the Perth Cup on Magistrate in 1980 and 1981. Overall winning 20 3200m and two mile races. In the 1978 Queen's Birthday Honours, Skelton was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

, for services to horse racing as a jockey. Overall he won 9 New Zealand Riding Premierships. Including the Melbourne & Perth Cups he also won numerous major races in Australia such as the Toorak Handicap, The George Adams, Feehan Stakes, Turnbull Stakes, and Hotham Handicap, Liston Stakes, Duke of Nortfolk Stakes (3200 m), Memsie Stakes, Easter Cup, and Victoria Handicap. Skelton retired in the 1987–88 season. He was inducted into the

New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame The New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame is an organisation commemorating New Zealand's greatest sporting triumphs. It was inaugurated as part of the New Zealand sesquicentenary celebrations in 1990. Some 160 members have been inducted into the hall ...

in 1995, and into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2007 the Auckland Racing Club voted him as their 8th official "Legend of Ellerslie" where he won nine jockey premierships at

Ellerslie Racecourse Ellerslie Racecourse is the main racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand, for thoroughbred racehorses. It is an undulating, grass circuit in the suburb of Ellerslie, New Zealand, Ellerslie, with a circumference of just under 1,900 metres. Racing ...

between 1955 and 1976. Following his riding career he took up training and was fortunate to train and own with friends a little mare (14.2 hands) called Oregon Seal who won 9 races including the Tesio Stakes. After her racing career she became a broodmare and had 8 foals - 8 winners with 3 stakes winners including Oregon Spirit, Talent Show (Perth Cup), and Oregon's Day (Redoutes Choice Stakes, Alexandra Stakes, Frances Tressady Stakes, and the Hollindale Cup. Skelton died in

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

on 19 August 2016. His brother Bill Skelton was also a successful jockey.

References

* Ryan, Dennis. ''RJ - The Bob Skelton Story'' (1979) Rugby Press, Auckland * ''Profiles of Fame: The stories of New Zealand's Greatest Sporting Achievers'' by Ron Palenski (2002, New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, Dunedin) p. 42
Bob Skelton profile at the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame

External links

* 1934 births 2016 deaths New Zealand jockeys New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame inductees New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire Sportspeople from Greymouth {{NewZealand-horseracing-bio-stub

See also

References

External links