Nick Skelton’s odds to be crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year are now as short as 16-1, putting him sixth in the race for the prestigious title. In recognition of the 58-year-old showjumper’s incredible achievements throughout his career, Horse & Hound is calling all equestrian fans to act to ensure Nick remains in contention for the award.
While the shortlist of 10 nominees will be decided by the BBC’s expert panel — which typically includes representatives from BBC Sport, BBC Five Live, newspaper sports editors and former nominees — by helping to maintain awareness of Nick’s brilliant Rio performance via social media, you can keep him at the forefront of the panel’s mind when they sit down to decide.
To help Nick be in with a chance of becoming BBC SPOTY 2016, Horse & Hound has produced a campaign poster featuring Nick on his way to winning gold. Readers are invited to download the poster by clicking on it below, then post a picture of themselves holding it on social media with the hashtag #SkeltonSPOTY. Our favourite images will be featured in future stories on HorseandHound.co.uk.
“Nick’s win in Rio was a true fairytale — he broke records as Britain’s oldest Olympic medallist for over a century and both he and Big Star have fought back from career-threatening injuries,” said H&H magazine editor, Pippa Roome, pictured top left.
“A SPOTY win would be deserved recognition for Britain’s first individual Olympic showjumping gold, not to mention Nick’s many successes through his long career. He has already said he will retire when Big Star does so he won’t be in Tokyo, so now’s the ideal time for him to receive this prestigious award.”
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If Nick is successful, he will become only the second showjumper to have won the award following David Broome in 1960. The other three equestrians previously crowned BBC SPOTY are AP McCoy in 2010, Princess Anne in 1971 and Zara Phillips in 2006.
Tennis ace Andy Murray remains favourite to win the title for a third time, ahead of long distance runner Mo Farah, cyclists Laura Trott and Jason Kenny, and gymnast Max Whitlock.
