Wellington, Florida, USA – February 28, 2021 – Local athlete Kristen VanderVeen (USA) claimed the Martha Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider Award on Saturday evening, February 27, during week seven of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL.
VanderVeen accumulated the most points of all female competitors in the $73,000 Adequan WEF Challenge Cup Round 7 CSI 5* on Thursday, February 25, and the $401,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI 5* held Saturday evening, February 27. Riding Bull Run’s Prince of Peace, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Cardenio 2 x Contender) owned by Bull Run Jumpers Six, LLC, VanderVeen placed sixth in the weekly WEF Challenge Cup before enjoying a top 10 finish in the Grand Prix with Bull Run’s Risen, a 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Utopie x Indoctro) owned by Bull Run Jumpers, Inc.
“I’m super excited about winning this award, especially in a five-star week,” said VanderVeen, 32, of her first Martha Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider title. “There are a lot of wonderful lady riders here this week and it’s a great honor to be at the top of our game.”
Jolicoeur, accompanied by her husband, Dr. Stephen Norton, presented VanderVeen with a bottle of champagne, a bouquet of flowers, and a gift certificate for a shopping spree at Hunt, Ltd. in recognition of her title.
“It was a special week for me because each horse got a ribbon,” VanderVeen said. “I rode three different horses, and it was nice to have all of them on their “A-game” this week. Prince of Peace was the qualifying horse, and he did great. My grand prix horse was Bull Run’s Risen, who held on to get a ribbon at the end, while Faustino de Tili, my steady Eddy, was third in a speed class.”
A sponsor and dedicated supporter of horse sport at WEF, 2021 marks Jolicoeur’s 11th season 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 series 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 accumulates the most points throughout the season. VanderVeen joins Erynn Ballard and Tiffany Foster, both of Canada, and American competitors Lucy Deslauriers, Laura Kraut, Beezie Madden, and Adrienne Sternlicht in claiming the Leading Lady title so far in 2021.
Jolicoeur has been serving the Wellington equestrian community full-time since 2005 and specializes in both residential and farm properties. As part of the elite Douglas Elliman Real Estate Sports and Entertainment division, she offers a wide range of property listings that fit an equestrian lifestyle and beyond. To learn more about Martha W. Jolicoeur, visit www.marthasproperties.com and follow her on Facebook and Instagram for a behind-the-scenes look at her available Wellington properties.
Source: Press release from Jump Media for Martha W. Jolicoeur
Photo: © Jumper News / JC Markun / Sportfot
Categories: Awards, English, Jumper News USA
