Nick Skelton

Nicholas David Skelton was born on December 30, 1957, in Bedworth, Warwickshire, England. His equestrian career began at a young age, starting to ride at 18 months. He achieved early success in 1975, securing two team silvers and an individual gold medal at the Junior European Championships. Skelton’s formative years in the equestrian world included working for Ted and Liz Edgar, where he developed his skills and gained experience before establishing himself independently. In 1978, he set a British show jumping high jump record of 7 feet 7 inches on Lastic, a record that remains unbroken.

Skelton continued to compete at the highest levels of show jumping for decades, participating in numerous European Show Jumping Championships and earning multiple gold, silver, and bronze medals. A significant turning point in his career occurred in September 2000 when he sustained a broken neck in a fall. After a period of recovery and a brief retirement in 2001, he returned to competition in 2002. Partnering with horses like Arko III and later Big Star, he re-established his competitive presence and achieved further successes.

His career culminated in significant Olympic achievements. At the age of 54, Skelton won a team gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics with his horse Big Star. Four years later, at his seventh Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, he secured an individual Olympic gold medal, becoming the oldest British Olympic gold medallist in 104 years. In recognition of his contributions to equestrianism, he was appointed OBE in 2012 and CBE in 2017 before retiring on April 5, 2017.