Community Contributed
Bill Skelton - Jockey
Bill Skelton, jockey, was a well-known identity in Levin.
| Date of birth | 4 September 1931 |
| Date of death | 25 November 2106 |
 | According to Wikipedia: William David "Bill" Skelton MBE (4 September 1931 – 25 November 2016) was a top jockey in New Zealand Thoroughbred horse racing who competed from the 1940s for four decades. He also rode in Australia, South Africa, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Early life and familyBorn in the Greymouth suburb of Cobden on 4 September 1931, Skelton was the son of William George Skelton and Gwendoline Emma Skelton (née Baker). In 1955 he married Italian-born Emanuela Valeria Macchi, and they went on to have three children, including David, who was a jockey in both Australia and New Zealand. Bill Skelton's brother, Bob, was also a successful jockey as were his other brothers, Frank, Max, and Errol, although the latter was more noted as a top trainer for many years. |
Racing careerSkelton started as an apprentice jockey aged 13, and rode his first winner (a dead heat) aged 15 at Wingatui. He was the leading apprentice in New Zealand for four consecutive years, and champion jockey seven times, and was outside the top four of the premiership between 1947 and 1979 only four times. He rode a record 124 winners in the 1967–68 season, and in May 1980 became the first New Zealand jockey to ride 2000 winners; he finished with 2179. He remains the most successful jockey of the 20th century in New Zealand with those figures. According to Skelton, the best horse he rode was Daryl's Joy, champion New Zealand two-year-old in 1968, champion three-year-old in Australia in 1969, and later successful in the United States. Skelton won both the W.S. Cox Plate and the Victoria Derby on Daryl's Joy in Australia. The big two-mile victories in New Zealand included the Auckland Cup on Lucky Son, which he also trained; his father-in-law Fred Pratt's mare Foglia D'Oro in the New Zealand Cup; and Loofah and Noir Filou in the Wellington Cup.Honours and awardsIn the 1980 Queen's Birthday Honours Skelton was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to horse racing as a jockey. He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990, and to the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame in 2006. | |
| Later life and deathSkelton suffered a stroke in 1994, which restricted his movement and speech. He died in Palmerston North on 25 November 2016, aged 85. |
| According to Stuff 3 December 2016: | |
 Bill Skelton and wife Nella | Whether setting horse racing records or driving cars, Bill Skelton lived life in the fast lane. Hundreds of family, friends and from the racing fraternity gathered in Levin on Friday to remember the seven-time New Zealand jockeys' premiership champion, and first New Zealander to ride 2000 winners. Skelton died last Friday morning in Palmerston North Hospital. He was 85. Born in Cobden, near Greymouth, Bill was the oldest of nine siblings, and five brothers, all of whom were jockeys. Brother Max Skelton said Bill was one of a "hardy breed" growing up on the West Coast. "He was a tough and determined little bugger, and a little mischievous." |
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In 2004 Bill Skelton was honoured with | Bill began his career as a 13-year-old apprentice, but became a hero before that, when he saved a girl from drowning in the Grey River, Max said. Bill's other great loves were driving and fixing cars, and his family. Max remembered an incident on the beach when the sump was dislodged from his Morris Minor by a rogue boulder. He said Bill never used profanity, but when wife Nella damaged his Ford Zephyr, it provoked the catch-phrase he used as a replacement. "You'd never heard as many 'blarney this' or 'blimey that' from Bill, ever." Nella met Bill on her 12th birthday. Nine years later, they were married, she said. "At the beginning he used to give me a smile or two, but three or four years later he had a different look in his eyes. "You gave me three lovely children, three lovely homes and now I have retired in a lovely villa by the Levin racecourse. "No wife could ask for more. You were a real champion." Known as 'Bustling Bill' for his ability to quickly get horses in a prime position, he rode 2179 winners, 2156 of them in New Zealand - a national record that stood until 2002. Between 1947 and 1979 he was outside the top four in the premiership only four times, winning seven times and finishing second 10 times. After hearing of Bill's death, broadcaster Des Coppins said he opened up the phone lines. "The switchboard lit up quite remarkably. "A lot of good jockeys all said the same thing ... not only was he a great competitor off the track, but a great adviser off it." Skelton moved to Levin in 1964. He retired as a jockey in 1985 and began training horses with Nella at their farm. Many spoke of Skelton's ability to nurture horses with his soft-touch approach. He also taught Max how to drive, gave jockey Noel Harris tips on the track, and gave godson Campbell Dodds "corruption lessons", advice at the pool table. "He'd say don't be a basher. Always play to your second shot," he said. "A legend who is second to none." Skelton was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990 and the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame in 2006. However, he suffered a stroke in 1994 that severely restricted his movement and speech. In 2012 he contracted pneumonia, and went into permanent hospital care. Eleven people spoke at the funeral, which began with a photo slide show and old radio commentaries. "I don't ever think I've walked into a funeral with that sort of introduction before," reverend David Pearson said. "We know Bill as part of the history of this community, and he will never be forgotten." A private cremation was held following the ceremony. Nella and Bill have three children – David, Anthony and Maria, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. A minute's silence and a memorial race was held at Saturday's Christmas at the races meet at Trentham. |
"You'd never heard as many 'blarney this' or 'blimey that' from Bill, ever."
Nella met Bill on her 12th birthday. Nine years later, they were married, she said.
"At the beginning he used to give me a smile or two, but three or four years later he had a different look in his eyes.
"You gave me three lovely children, three lovely homes and now I have retired in a lovely villa by the Levin racecourse.
"No wife could ask for more. You were a real champion."
Known as 'Bustling Bill' for his ability to quickly get horses in a prime position, he rode 2179 winners, 2156 of them in New Zealand - a national record that stood until 2002.
Between 1947 and 1979 he was outside the top four in the premiership only four times, winning seven times and finishing second 10 times.
After hearing of Bill's death, broadcaster Des Coppins said he opened up the phone lines.
"The switchboard lit up quite remarkably.
"A lot of good jockeys all said the same thing ... not only was he a great competitor off the track, but a great adviser off it."
Skelton moved to Levin in 1964. He retired as a jockey in 1985 and began training horses with Nella at their farm.
Many spoke of Skelton's ability to nurture horses with his soft-touch approach.
He also taught Max how to drive, gave jockey Noel Harris tips on the track, and gave godson Campbell Dodds "corruption lessons", advice at the pool table.
"He'd say don't be a basher. Always play to your second shot," he said. "A legend who is second to none."
Skelton was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990 and the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame in 2006.
However, he suffered a stroke in 1994 that severely restricted his movement and speech.
In 2012 he contracted pneumonia, and went into permanent hospital care.
Eleven people spoke at the funeral, which began with a photo slide show and old radio commentaries.
"I don't ever think I've walked into a funeral with that sort of introduction before," reverend David Pearson said.
"We know Bill as part of the history of this community, and he will never be forgotten."
A private cremation was held following the ceremony.
Nella and Bill have three children – David, Anthony and Maria, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A minute's silence and a memorial race was held at Saturday's Christmas at the races meet at Trentham.