Bob Ives shares a unique place in British motorsport along with brother Joe – the only Britons to have won the coveted Camel Trophy and the only brothers to have been awarded the prestigious Segrave trophy.
Although an amateur driver Bob can proudly count amongst his peers the likes of Sterling Moss, Jackie Stewart and Martin Brundle – all holders of the Segrave Trophy.
Bob’s passion for motorsport – at first a hobby which turned into an obsession – dates back to 1978. He has driven around Australia twice on both four wheels and two, and it was there he got hooked on four-wheel drive. On returning to the UK he bought the first of many Land Rover vehicles, and began a personal crusade to represent his country in the Camel Trophy. Three failed attempts were not enough to deter him, and he was finally selected in 1989 when fate played a big hand teaming him with brother Joe. The pair overcame hostile conditions in the Amazonian rainforests of Brazil to defeat competitors from 13 other countries and win the international endurance event. The 1,062 mile route from Alta Floresta to Manaus included nine fiercely contested Special tasks, but the brothers led from the start.
After that, Bob has travelled to Siberia, South America, Africa, Indonesia and Malaysia completing a further seven Camel Trophies as a convoy co-ordinator responsible for the overall safety of the teams from the 20 competing countries. It was during this time that he met today’s fellow Wildtrackers, Duncan Barbour, Andy Dacey, Karl Trunk & Jim West as well as many other people he has since worked with. Bob is Land Rover trained and certified off-road instructor and ran the Camel Trophy UK Off-Road Centre for five years. He has competed in four wheel drive trials and hill rallies in this country and also in the FIA World Cup Cross Country Rally Championships in Spain, and the UAE Desert Challenge.
Since then, incentive trips and vehicle launches have taken him to the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan, remote regions of Botswana, and Rocky Mountain trails in Colorado and Canada. And there are of course the UK events including 4×4 training, local dealer days and the mini Camel Trophy for owners of ex-event vehicles. Along with Joe he runs the family arable and dairy farm in the south of England which is also used for vehicle launches and off-road driver training.
