Bill Skelton began as an apprentice jockey at the age of 13 and rode his first winner, at Wingatui, at the age of 15 (it was a dead-heat). For the next four decades, Skelton was at or near the top of his profession. He was champion jockey on seven occasions and he was outside the top four of the premiership for only four seasons between 1947 and 1979. Skelton 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). Skelton also rode with success in South Africa, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Return to the Inductee list