Jessica Springsteen of the United States won the Martha Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider Award on Saturday, March 27, 2021, during week 11 of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL.
Springsteen was the female competitor who accumulated the highest number of points following a clear round in Thursday’s $137,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 11 and a fifth-place finish in Saturday’s $500,000 CSI5* Rolex Grand Prix. In both classes, Springsteen was riding Don Juan van de Donkhoeve, a 12-year-old Belgian Sport Horse stallion (Bamako de Muze x Heartbreaker) owned by Stone Hill Farm. In Saturday’s $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix, Springsteen was the only female athlete to qualify for the eight-horse jump-off.
“I think it’s amazing that Martha offers this award,” said Springsteen, 29, of Los Angeles, CA. “It’s one of the only sports where men and women compete against each other and I think that’s what makes it so unique and such a special sport. To have this award means a lot to us.
“This is such a special award,” continued Springsteen. “My horse jumped beautifully all weekend, so to win Leading Lady at the end is icing on top of the cake.”
A sponsor and dedicated supporter of horse sport at WEF, the 2021 season marks Jolicoeur’s 11th year presenting the Leading Lady Rider Award. She began presenting the award in 2010 as a way of recognizing female accomplishments in an Olympic sport where men and women compete as equals. A former competitor herself, Jolicoeur enjoyed a successful international show jumping career before becoming Florida’s number one Douglas Elliman real estate broker.
The Martha Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider Award, given in memory of fellow realtor and horseman Dale Lawler, is presented weekly to the high-score female rider based on performances in the weekly WEF Challenge Cup and grand prix events. During the final week of WEF, the Martha Jolicoeur Overall Leading Lady Rider Award will be presented to the female rider who has accumulated the most points throughout the season. Springsteen joins Erynn Ballard and Tiffany Foster, both of Canada, and American competitors Lucy Deslauriers, Laura Kraut, Beezie Madden, Adrienne Sternlicht, and Kristen VanderVeen as winners of the Leading Lady title during the 2021 season.