Oliver Skeete

Oliver Skeete (born 26 March 1956 in Speightstown, Barbados) is a British showjumper turned reality show contestant and actor. One of a family of 10 (four brothers and five sisters), Skeete travelled to England in September 1964 to join his parents who had settled in Acton, West London, and attended local schools to the age of fifteen. On leaving school Skeete qualified as a motor mechanic three years later. He worked for a time as a door supervisor at the Haven Stables on Spring Bridge Road in Ealing. His main sporting interest at this time was football and he played for a local youth team.

Skeete was first introduced to the world of horses by a chance meeting with a Spanish countess in a night-club. However, this was not a successful introduction as Skeete was left bruised and embarrassed after being thrown in Hyde Park. After marriage to another woman and two daughters to entertain, Skeete enrolled them at a local riding school. He found that his enthusiasm grew with theirs and decided to horse riding again.

Skeete sold the family car to purchase his first horse, and started show jumping in 1992, aged 36. He has competed at most levels except the very top. Skeete intended to represent Barbados at the Olympics in Sydney in 2000 as he failed to achieve the national British team Olympic standard and tried show jumping under the Barbadian flag, but he did not gain the required number of points for qualification.