Laura Kraut Claims Second Consecutive Martha Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider Award

Wellington, Florida – Laura Kraut of the United States claimed her second consecutive Martha Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider Award on Sunday, January 31, during week three of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL.
Kraut was the highest-placed female rider in both the $37,000 FEI Adequan® WEF Challenge Round 3 held Friday and Sunday’s $137,000 CSI3* NetJets Grand Prix. The U.S. Olympic team gold medalist rode Confu, a 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Contact Me x Cambridge) owned by St. Bride’s Farm, to a second-place finish in the WEF Challenge Cup and produced the fastest four-fault effort to finish fifth in the Grand Prix.

“I’m thrilled to win this award a second week in a row,” said Kraut. “It’s quite an achievement. I always aspire to win the Leading Lady Rider title but having it happen twice in a row is a great accomplishment. Confu was wonderful this week; I couldn’t ask more of him.”
In recognition of claiming the Leading Lady Rider Award, Martha Jolicoeur and her husband, Dr. Stephen Norton, presented Kraut with a bottle of champagne, a bouquet of flowers, and a gift certificate for a shopping spree at Hunt, Ltd.
“It’s great because I received a gift certificate to Hunt, Ltd. last week and I overspent so now this will help me make up the balance,“ laughed Kraut, 55, of Royal Palm, FL.
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.

Throughout WEF, 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. So far in 2021, Canada’s Erynn Ballard and Adrienne Sternlicht of the U.S. have won the Leading Lady Rider Award in addition to Kraut.
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.
Throughout WEF, 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. So far in 2021, Canada’s Erynn Ballard and Adrienne Sternlicht of the U.S. have won the Leading Lady Rider Award in addition to Kraut.
Laura Kraut accepts the Leading Lady Rider Award from Martha Jolicoeur (left) and Dr. Stephen Norton during week 3 of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Photo by Sportfot