Bob Ingham

Robert Walter Ingham
Born	(1931-09-30) 30 September 1931 Casula, New South Wales, Australia
Died	22 September 2020(2020-09-22) (aged 88)
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, racehorse owner and breeder, philanthropist
Known for	Co-founder of leading Australian thoroughbred horse racing and breeding enterprise; major poultry industry businessman; philanthropy including funding the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research

Robert Walter Ingham (30 September 1931 – 22 September 2020) was a distinguished Australian entrepreneur in the poultry sector and a co-founder of the nation's leading thoroughbred horse racing and breeding enterprise. He was also known for his philanthropic efforts, notably funding the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research. In 2007, Australia Post commemorated him with a dedicated postage stamp.

Biography

Bob Ingham was born in Casula, New South Wales, as the son of farmer Walter Ingham. Following his father's passing in 1953, he and his brother, Jack, transformed the family poultry breeding business, originally established in 1918, into Australia's largest chicken and turkey producer. The company, based in Casula, was eventually sold in 2014 for 880 million.

The 2019 Financial Review Rich List estimated Ingham's personal wealth at approximately 1.17 billion.

Thoroughbred horse racing

Ingham's father had an involvement in horse breeding, and alongside their poultry interests, the brothers inherited a broodmare named Valiant Rose, a descendant of the British racehorse Bend Or, winner of the Epsom Derby and renowned Champion broodmare sire. Utilizing Valiant Rose, the Ingham brothers developed a breeding and racing operation valued at A$250 million, making it Australia's largest. Their equine assets included Woodlands Stud at Denman in the Hunter Valley, Crown Lodge stables at Warwick Farm Racecourse, Sydney, Carbine Lodge stables at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, as well as stables located in Adelaide and Brisbane. Their most famous horse was Octagonal, who earned the title of 1996 Australian Horse of the Year and won multiple Group One races including the prestigious Cox Plate and Australian Derby. In 2008, Ingham sold Woodlands Stud to Dubai ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum for $500 million.

Family

Bob Ingham and his wife Norma had four children: daughters Lyn and Debbie, along with sons Robby and John. Debbie Kepitis (née Ingham) is co-owner of 2015 Horse of the Year Winx, with her siblings actively participating in the Ingham Racing syndicate. The family also ventured into fashion retail: Lyn and Debbie managed a boutique in Eastwood, while Robby operated stores in Sydney’s Paddington area. Currently, all siblings concentrate on property development within New South Wales, overseeing extensive real estate assets inherited from their father and uncle Jack Ingham. Robby serves as chair of Ingham Property and is noted for specialized commercial and residential projects such as The Cambrian on Oxford Street, Paddington.

Honours

In January 2001, Ingham was awarded the Centenary Medal for his contributions to the Liverpool community. Two years later, in January 2003, he was named an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of his innovative work advancing research and development within the poultry industry as well as his support for numerous charitable organizations and healthcare institutions. In 2004, he was inducted into the prestigious Australian Racing Hall of Fame.