Esther Driver du Pont was an American philanthropist

Philanthropist

A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...

 who created the Thouron Award

Thouron Award

The Thouron Award was established in 1960 by Sir John R.H. Thouron, K.B.E., and the late Esther du Pont Thouron.It was created to strengthen the "special relationship" between the United States and the United Kingdom through educational exchange between British universities and the University of...

 with her husband, John R. H. Thouron.

Born in Wilmington, Delaware

Wilmington, Delaware

Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...

, she was a member of the wealthy Du Pont family

Du Pont family

The Du Pont family is an American family descended from Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours . The son of a Paris watchmaker and a member of a Burgundian noble family, he and his sons, Victor Marie du Pont and Eleuthère Irénée du Pont, emigrated to the United States in 1800 and used the resources of...

, the daughter of Natalie Driver Wilson and her husband Lammot du Pont II

Lammot du Pont II

Lammot du Pont II was an American businessman who was the head of the du Pont family's E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company for 22 years....

. In 1953 she married for a second time to John Rupert Hunt Thouron, a native of Cookham

Cookham

Cookham is a village and civil parish in the north-easternmost corner of Berkshire in England, on the River Thames, notable as the home of the artist Stanley Spencer. It lies north of Maidenhead close to the border with Buckinghamshire...

 in Berkshire

Berkshire

Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. In 1960 they established the Thouron Scholars Program

Thouron Award

The Thouron Award was established in 1960 by Sir John R.H. Thouron, K.B.E., and the late Esther du Pont Thouron.It was created to strengthen the "special relationship" between the United States and the United Kingdom through educational exchange between British universities and the University of...

 of student exchanges between the University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...

 and leading universities in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. In 1967 she received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from the University of Pennsylvania in recognition of her work.

Thoroughbred horse racing

Esther du Pont and her husband owned a large estate near Unionville, Chester County, Pennsylvania

Unionville, Chester County, Pennsylvania

Unionville is an unincorporated community in East Marlborough Township in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was originally known as "Jacksonville."-Education:...

 they called "Doe Run." Like other du Pont family members such as William duPont, Jr.

William duPont, Jr.

William duPont, Jr. was an American businessman and banker and a prominent figure in the sport of thoroughbred horse racing. A member of the Delaware Du Pont family, he was the son of William du Pont and Annie Rogers , and brother to horsewoman, Marion.In 1919, he married Jean Liseter Austin...

, Allaire du Pont

Allaire du Pont

Allaire du Pont was an American sportswoman and a member of the prominent French-American Du Pont family of chemical manufacturers who is most remembered as the owner of the Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame champion, Kelso....

, Marion duPont Scott, Jane du Pont Lunger

Jane du Pont Lunger

Jane du Pont Lunger was an American heiress, philanthropist, and an owner/breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses. A sixth generation member of Delaware's prominent Du Pont family, her father, Philip Francis du Pont, was a major benefactor to the University of Virginia.In 1934, Jane du Pont married...

, and Alice du Pont Mills

Alice du Pont Mills

Alice Francis du Pont Mills was an American aviatrix, thoroughbred race horse breeder and owner, environmentalist, philanthropist and a member of the prominent du Pont family....

, Esther du Pont too became a fan of Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 horse racing

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

. She bred and raced a number of horses for both flat racing

Flat racing

Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...

 and steeplechase

Steeplechase

Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...

 events. In 1944, her horse Burma Road won the most prestigious steeplechase

Steeplechase

Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...

 race in the United States, the American Grand National and in flat racing

Flat racing

Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...

, her colt Royal Vale won the 1953 Massachusetts Handicap

Massachusetts Handicap

The Massachusetts Handicap, frequently referred to as the "MassCap", is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up held annually at Suffolk Downs in Boston, Massachusetts. It is currently an Ungraded stakes race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt. The race received...

.

Esther du Pont Thouron helped build the clinic and hospital at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine's New Bolton Center

New Bolton Center

The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s 700 acre New Bolton Center campus in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is home to one of the busiest large animal teaching veterinary clinics in the nation. Founded in 1964 with contributions from equestrienne Esther du Pont Thouron and...

. In 1966, her contribution to the industry was recognized by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association

Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association

The American Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association based in Lexington, Kentucky is a trade organization for Thoroughbred racehorse owners and breeders...

who awarded her their Lady's Sportsmanship Award.

Esther du Pont Thouron died in 1984 at age seventy-six.