Palm Springs Horse of the Week: Revealed
A composed and confident performance set Don Juan Van De Donkhoeve apart in Palm Springs.
Published
17 DEC 2025
Est. reading time
2 min
Don Juan Van De Donkhoeve takes the spotlight.
Leg 7 delivered a demanding Grand Prix night, and one horse rose to the moment.
Voted by the MLSJ community, Don Juan Van De Donkhoeve has been named your Palm Springs Horse of the Week.
Under the lights in the $340,000 5* Grand Prix presented by Go Rentals, Don Juan Van De Donkhoeve delivered the first double clear of the night with a composed and confident performance to round out the podium. The track, designed by Olaf Petersen Jr., demanded precision, scope, and decision-making at every turn, qualities Don Juan met with focus and maturity.
Ridden by Jessica Springsteen, the partnership showed balance and control throughout the round, maintaining composure in a class where small mistakes carried big consequences.
Don Juan Van de Donkhoeve continues to show why he remains a fixture at the top level. The 16 year old stallion brings an elite international résumé, including an Olympic silver medal in Tokyo and multiple Nations Cup victories for the USA across Wellington and Mexico. A former 5* Grand Prix winner, he has delivered double clear performances in 50% of his Season 5 MLSJ appearances, combining experience, reliability, and proven winning form.
The Horse of the Week vote reflects more than a single result.
Fans recognized a horse performing with presence and style, delivering an elite standard at the sport’s highest level.
Thank you for celebrating Palm Springs and the horses who shape each Leg of the League.
Relive Don Juan Van De Donkhoeve’s Grand Prix night in the gallery below:
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