Lucy Deslauriers and Hester won the $73,000 CSI5* Adequan WEF Challenge Cup Round 5 on Thursday, February 11, before taking the title of Leading Lady Rider during week five of the Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo by Jump Media
Wellington, Florida – Lucy Deslauriers of New York, NY, claimed the Martha Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider Award on Saturday night, February 13, during week five of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL.
Deslauriers accumulated the most points of all female competitors after winning the $73,000 CSI5* Adequan WEF Challenge Cup Round 5 on Thursday, February 11, and placing eighth in the $401,000 CSI5* Douglas Elliman Real Estate Grand Prix on Saturday, February 13. The 21-year-old was riding Hester, a 16-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Wandor van de Mispelaere x Palestro vd Begijnakker) owned by her mother, Lisa Deslauriers.
“It feels great to win this award for the first time,” said Deslauriers, who was a member of the U.S. team that won bronze at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. “We are fortunate that Martha recognizes leading lady riders and it’s an honor to win. People often talk about how this is one of the only Olympic sports where men and women compete on an equal playing field but, at the same time, we live in a world where it’s important to recognize female leaders.” Jolicoeur, accompanied by her husband, Dr. Stephen Norton of Norton Dental Arts, presented Deslauriers 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.
“He’s been incredible this week,” said Deslauriers of Hester, her partner of eight years. “Having known him for so long and so well at this height, I know exactly what I need to do out there and I just try to stay out of his way the best that I can.”
A sponsor and dedicated supporter of horse sport at WEF for many years, 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. Deslauriers joins 2021 season Leading Lady Rider Award recipients Erynn Ballard (CAN), Adrienne Sternlicht (USA), Laura Kraut (USA), and Tiffany Foster (CAN). 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.