Nick Skelton achieved near-legendary status on August 19th of last year when he and his long-time partner Big Star clinched the individual gold show jumping medal at the Rio Olympics. In doing so, he set Olympic records as Britain’s oldest medallist since 1908 and first to win individual gold in the sport. That he did it while nearing the end of a long career punctuated by potential life-altering injuries was especially remarkable.
Forced to retire after breaking his neck in 2000, Skelton defied the odds and returned to the sport just two years later. A hip replacement in 2011, as well as two knee operations, did not deter him from being part of the gold medal-winning British squad at the 2012 London Olympics.
Now 59, Skelton and his partner, American show jumper and fellow Olympian Laura Kraut, rent a stable in Wellington, FL, over the winters and in the spring move back to their home base, Arden Cote Farm in Stratford-upon-Avon in England. Skelton has two sons who grew up riding ponies and are now both in the racing business: Daniel, 31, is a racehorse trainer with a yard housing 20 steeplechasers, and Harry, 27, is the jockey who rides them.