Robert J. "Bob" Skelton (born 1934) was a top jockey

Jockey

A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

 in New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 and Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 horse racing

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 who competed from the 1950s through the 1980s. Among his many major race wins, Skelton rode Great Sensation

Great Sensation

Great Sensation was a champion New Zealand bred Thoroughbred stayer. He was sired by Cassock and out of the mare, Speedy. Great Sensation began his racing career in 1956 at Wingatui Racecourse in Dunedin....

 to three victories in the Wellington Cup

Wellington Cup

The Wellington Cup is a Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand held annually in late January at Trentham Racecourse in Trentham by the Wellington Racing Club....

 and won the Auckland Cup

Auckland Cup

The Stella Artois Auckland Cup is an annual race held by the Auckland Racing Club . It is an Open Handicap for thoroughbred racehorses competed on the flat turf over 3200 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. The race is graded as a Group One and was first contested in 1874...

 on Rose Mellay in 1974 and again in 1977 on Royal Cadenza. In 1976, he rode Van der Hum

Van der Hum

Van der Hum was a New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse, who won the 1976 Melbourne Cup when ridden by Bob Skelton.He was sired by the versatile stayer and sire of the winners of over $2m, Hermes , his dam Tip O'Dawn was by the good sire Count Rendered .Van Der Hum was a wet track specialist, and on...

 to victory in Australia's most prestigious race, the Melbourne Cup

Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...

 and ten years later rode Rising Fear into second place in the 1986 Cup.

Skelton retired in the 1987-88 season. He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame

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 of Fame since its inception representing a wide...

 in 1995, and into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame

New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame

The New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame is an organization created to recognise and honour those whose achievements have enriched the New Zealand Horse racing industry...

 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

Ellerslie Racecourse is the main racecourse in Ellerslie, Auckland, New Zealand for thoroughbred racehorses. It is an undulating, grass circuit of approximately 1,900 m.-History:The first race meeting was held at Ellerslie on 25 May 1874...

 between 1955 and 1976.

His brother Bill Skelton was also a successful jockey.