Skinner trained and drove the star 2yr-old pacer of the 1988-89 season, Honkin Vision, when operating a stable at Ryal Bush in partnership with Allan Devery for five seasons. Honkin Vision won eight of his 11 starts at that age. His wins included the New Zealand Two-Year-Old Championship and Sires' Stakes Final in Auckland.
He won the Sires' Stakes Final at Addington as a 3yr-old.
Skinner was training in a sole capacity at Branxholme when he developed Forto Prontezza into a top pacer.
Forto Prontezza won the 1976 NZ Messenger. He won 20 races including free-for-alls at the top level at Addington and Hutt Park.
Skinner drove Sapling to win the 1978 NZ Messenger, Easter Cup and the 1979 Auckland Cup. He drove 717 winners and trained 310.
He drove Tobago to win the 1989 Dominion Handicap and trained and drove Sure Mart to win the 1980 NZ Trotting Free-For-All.
Skinner served his apprenticeship as a jockey and rode Gunther to win the 1949 Invercargill Cup and The Denbigh to win the 1952 Great Western Steeplechase at Riverton. He rode his first winner Loyal Lady at a Tapanui meeting at Gore in 1948.
