Ben Melham Biography: Wife, Children, Age, Parents, Net Worth, Height, Wikipedia, Rides

Biography

Ben Melham (born 1988) is an accomplished Australian jockey based in Victoria, renowned for his skillful Thoroughbred racing rides.

Hailing from Ballarat, where he attended St Patrick’s College, Melham turned professional in 2003 under apprenticeships with trainers Darren Weir and Hall of Fame inductee Lee Freedman.

He achieved his first 100-winner season in 2010/11 and secured his inaugural Group 1 victory that November aboard the legendary Black Caviar in the Patinack Farm Classic—a partnership that yielded multiple elite triumphs.

Melham‘s career highlights include a daring 2017 win in the Group 1 Golden Slipper on She Will Reign. In a dramatic 2025 Melbourne Cup, he competed against his wife, fellow jockey Jamie Melham (née Kah), whom he married in January that year at Rosemont Stud; while she claimed victory on Half Yours, Melham finished 14th aboard Smokin’ Romans, marking the first husband-wife matchup in the race’s history. The couple shares three children from his previous relationship.

Australian jockey
Ben Melham
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Ben Melham
Born:	14 March 1988 (age 37 years old)
Place of Birth:	Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Nationality:	Australian
Education:	St Patrick’s College
Height:	1.69 m
Parents:	Michael Melham, Margaret Melham
Siblings:	3
Spouse:	Jamie Melham (m. 2025)
Girlfriend • Partner:	Karlie Dales (?-22)
Children:	3
Occupation:	Jockey
Net Worth:	$2.5 million (USD)

Early Life & Education

Ben Melham was born on 14 March 1988 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. He is of Irish-Australian descent, reflecting the heritage suggested by his surname.

Melham was raised in a Catholic family and attended mass regularly at St Alipius Parish in Ballarat East during his childhood. His parents, Michael Melham and Margaret Melham, ran a small dairy farm on the outskirts of Ballarat, where Ben developed an early affinity for horses through weekend pony club events.

He is the second of four siblings.

Melham completed his secondary education at St Patrick’s College in Ballarat, where he excelled in cross-country running and was a member of the school’s equestrian team before leaving in Year 10 to pursue his jockey apprenticeship full-time.

Career

Ben Melham is a highly respected Australian jockey whose career has spanned more than two decades.

He began riding professionally in 2003 at just 15 years old, starting his apprenticeship under Darren Weir in Ballarat before moving to the Caulfield stable of Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman. That same year, he rode his first winner and quickly made a name for himself across Victoria’s provincial and metropolitan racing circuits.

Melham’s breakthrough came during the 2010–2011 season, when he achieved 100 metropolitan wins and finished third in the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership. In November 2011, he celebrated his first Group 1 victory aboard the unbeaten Black Caviar in the Patinack Farm Classic at Flemington. His partnership with Black Caviar continued with major wins, including the 2012 T.J. Smith Stakes and the 2013 Lightning Stakes.

His biggest triumph came in 2017 when he won the prestigious Golden Slipper at Rosehill on She Will Reign, trained by Gary Portelli, after a dramatic three-way photo finish. The following year, he added another Group 1 win in the Manikato Stakes on Brave Smash for Darren Weir.

Although Melham faced a suspension in 2019 related to the Aquanita case, he made a strong return to racing, continuing to secure top-level victories for leading trainers like Ciaron Maher, Peter Moody, and Mick Price. In the 2025 Melbourne Cup, he rode Smokin’ Romans to a 14th-place finish in a historic race where his wife, Jamie Melham (née Kah), claimed victory aboard Half Yours.

Ben Melham has ridden more than 1,500 career winners, including 18 Group 1 victories. He remains one of Australia’s most accomplished jockeys, admired for his tactical skill, professionalism, and composure under pressure.

Social Media

• Instagram: Ben Melham (@benmelham)

Personal Life

Ben Melham is 37 years old as of November 2025, having been born in 1988.

His wife is fellow jockey Jamie Melham (née Kah), whom he married in January 2025 at Rosemont Stud in Gnarwarre, Victoria, marking his first marriage.

The couple made history later that year in the 2025 Melbourne Cup as the first husband-wife pair to compete against each other in the race.

Melham has three children from his previous long-term relationship with Karlie Dales, which lasted approximately 15 years until their split around 2022.

Melham was in a committed relationship with Dales starting in the mid-2000s, during which they had their children; the partnership ended amid reports of his involvement with Jamie Kah beginning around 2021, leading to an engagement in February 2024 and their subsequent marriage.

Net Worth

Ben Melham‘s net worth is estimated at approximately $2.5 million, derived primarily from his successful career as a professional jockey with over 1,500 winners, including 18 Group 1 triumphs.

Earnings stem from race purses (such as the $185,000 jockey share from the 2025 Melbourne Cup, where his wife Jamie claimed victory), endorsements, and stable investments, though exact figures remain private and subject to annual fluctuations based on riding success.