Jessica Rose Lee is an American businesswoman, equestrian, and photographer best known as the founder of Saddle Club and the wife of Smallville star Tom Welling. But long before she became known as a celebrity spouse, Jessica had already built a career of her own — one that stretched from luxury fashion boardrooms to horse rescue stables. This article breaks down her full story: her education, career, business, marriage, children, and the 2025 DUI case involving her husband that briefly pulled her into headlines she never asked for.

Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Full Name	Jessica Rose Lee Welling
Born	January 26, 1987, San Luis Obispo, California
Raised	Mount Shasta, California
Education	San Diego State University (Communications/PR)
Business	Founder of Saddle Club
Husband	Tom Welling (married November 30, 2019)
Children	Thomson Wylde Welling (b. 2019), Rocklin Von Welling (b. 2021)

Who Is Jessica Rose Lee?

Jessica Rose Lee is an equestrian enthusiast, marketer, and entrepreneur who founded Saddle Club, a California-based lifestyle brand built around horses, Western culture, and horse rescue. She rose to wider public attention through her relationship with Tom Welling, who played Clark Kent for a decade on Smallville. Her own résumé, however, includes stints at some of the biggest names in luxury fashion, plus years of hands-on work with horses long before Saddle Club existed. It’s also worth noting she is not the same person as actress Jessica Lee Rose, known for the web series lonelygirl15 — a mix-up that comes up often given how close the two names sound.

Early Life and Education

Childhood in Mount Shasta and San Luis Obispo

Jessica was born on January 26, 1987, in San Luis Obispo, California, and grew up in Mount Shasta, a small town in the far north of the state known for its rural, outdoor lifestyle — a fitting backdrop for someone who would go on to build a career around horses.

The Pony That Started It All

Her connection to horses started early. At around age nine, Jessica asked her parents for a pony, and they eventually gave in. That first pony sparked an attachment to horses that never faded, later shaping both her personal life and her business.

San Diego State University Years

Jessica finished high school in Mount Shasta in 2002, then attended San Diego State University from 2002 to 2006, studying Communications with a focus tied to Public Relations. That academic background — understanding audiences, messaging, and brand image — later proved directly useful in her marketing career.

Career Before Saddle Club

Chanel, Montblanc, and Ralph Lauren

Jessica’s professional path ran through some of the most recognizable names in luxury fashion. She reportedly started as a Beauté Analyst at Chanel Inc. in 2005, moved into a Marketing Coordinator role at a magazine in 2008, then became a Product Manager at Montblanc in 2009. In 2011, she joined Ralph Lauren in a sales and marketing capacity. Each stop added a new layer of experience in how premium brands are built and marketed.

Public Relations and Luxury Marketing Background

This string of roles gave Jessica a well-rounded skill set in brand positioning, customer engagement, and marketing strategy — the exact toolkit she would eventually apply to her own company rather than someone else’s.

Work as an Assistant Rider

Away from the corporate side, Jessica also worked as an assistant rider, reportedly supporting grand prix show jumpers at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center and helping with events at racetracks. It’s a detail that shows her horse involvement wasn’t just recreational — it was practical, hands-on experience.

Jessica Rose Lee’s Love for Horses

Equestrian Life and Show Jumping

Jessica has described herself as an equestrian enthusiast, and her résumé backs that up. Between private stable work, show jumping circles, and racetrack events, she spent years immersed in the horse world well before it became a business.

Volunteering at Red Bucket Equine Rescue

In 2015, Jessica began volunteering with Red Bucket Equine Rescue, a Southern California nonprofit that takes in horses at risk of slaughter and rehabilitates them. She was also connected to a Breeders’ Cup-related project around 2014.

Delilah — The Rescue Horse Behind Saddle Club

The most pivotal moment in her horse-world story involves a thoroughbred mare named Delilah, one of roughly thirty horses rescued after a breeding operation collapsed. Delilah arrived neglected and hadn’t been ridden in over a month. Jessica got on anyway, and the two built a bond through weeks of consistent riding until the mare settled. Delilah later appeared as an extra in the 2015 film Emma’s Chance, filmed at the rescue, and was adopted into a permanent home the following year. That experience is widely cited as the spark behind Saddle Club.

How Jessica Rose Lee Started Saddle Club

From Riding Program to Clothing Brand

Saddle Club began around 2015 as a riding program before evolving into a full apparel brand; business filings show Saddle Club LLC was formally established in California in 2016. Products have included shirts, hats, bandanas, and riding gear, all built around a Western, horse-inspired aesthetic.

Saddle Club’s Mission and Horse Rescue Partners

Giving back has stayed central to the brand. Saddle Club reportedly directs around 20 percent of its proceeds to registered horse rescues, including Red Bucket Equine Rescue and Humanity for Horses, a sanctuary based in Mount Shasta — the same town where Jessica grew up.

Saddle Club Today — Photography and the American West

Saddle Club has expanded well past clothing. Its current site highlights Jessica’s photography — much of it shot at Diamond Cross Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming — focused on cowboy traditions, ranch life, and the modern American West. She’s listed on the site as both founder and photographer.

Jessica Rose Lee and Tom Welling’s Relationship

How They Met and Started Dating (2014)

Jessica and Tom reportedly began dating in 2014. Neither has ever publicly detailed exactly how or where they met, though some reports suggest horses played a role in bringing them together.

Tom Welling’s Divorce From Jamie White

When they started dating, Tom’s divorce from former model Jamie White was still working through the courts. White filed in 2013, and the divorce was finalized in November 2015. The pair had reportedly married back in 2002 and once owned a horse farm in Florida together.

Engagement in 2018

After roughly four years together, the couple got engaged in early 2018. Jessica hinted at the news on Instagram that February, calling Tom her “perfect fiancé.” Tom confirmed it publicly that April.

Marriage and Family Life

The Wedding at Sunstone Vineyards & Winery

Jessica and Tom married on November 30, 2019, at Sunstone Vineyards & Winery in Santa Ynez, California, in a ceremony with a cowboy theme fitting for the couple’s shared interests. Afterward, Jessica began using “Welling” alongside her name publicly.

Son Thomson Wylde Welling (Born 2019)

Their first son, Thomson Wylde Welling, was born January 5, 2019 — months before the wedding — weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces.

Son Rocklin Von Welling (Born 2021)

Their second son, Rocklin Von Welling, arrived on June 6, 2021. Notably, Tom had accidentally revealed the pregnancy months earlier during an appearance on Michael Rosenbaum’s podcast.

Life on Their Northern California Ranch

The family relocated from Los Angeles around 2020, settling on a ranch in Northern California. It’s a life Jessica reportedly hinted at wanting years earlier — in a 2017 interview, she said she hoped to one day own a quiet ranch in California.

Tom Welling’s 2025 DUI Arrest — What Happened

The Arrest in Yreka, California

In January 2025, hours after Tom posted a birthday tribute to Jessica on Instagram, police in Yreka, California arrested him for driving under the influence. His blood alcohol level was reported at or above the state’s 0.08 percent limit. He was released roughly five hours later. The arrest fell on Jessica’s 38th birthday.

How the Case Was Resolved

The misdemeanor case moved relatively quickly. On May 19, 2025, Tom pleaded no contest to a lesser charge. The court ordered a $619 fine, $150 in restitution, participation in a DUI program, and one year of probation.

Jessica Rose Lee’s Response

Neither Tom nor Jessica addressed the arrest publicly. Given how consistently private the couple has kept their relationship over the years, that silence was in line with their usual approach to personal matters.

Jessica Rose Lee’s Life Today (2026)

Saddle Club and Horse Breeding

As of 2026, Jessica is reportedly involved in a horse-breeding business alongside her continued work with Saddle Club.

Photography Work at Diamond Cross Ranch

Her photography — much of it centered on Diamond Cross Ranch in Jackson Hole — remains a growing part of her creative output, blending her business background with her lifelong interest in Western life.

Supporting Tom Welling’s Career

Jessica occasionally still shows up in Tom’s public life. In early 2026, she shared a lighthearted video tied to his film Chasing Summer, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Jessica Rose Lee vs. Jessica Lee Rose — Clearing the Confusion

It’s a common mix-up: Jessica Rose Lee, Tom Welling’s wife, is not Jessica Lee Rose, the actress known for lonelygirl15. The similar names cause frequent confusion online, but the two are unrelated public figures with entirely different careers.

Conclusion

Jessica Rose Lee’s story is bigger than her marriage to a well-known actor. From a childhood pony in Mount Shasta to roles at Chanel, Montblanc, and Ralph Lauren, and eventually to founding Saddle Club after bonding with a rescued mare named Delilah, her path shows a consistent thread: horses, brand-building, and a preference for staying out of the spotlight even when headlines came looking for her. In 2026, she continues to balance family life, ranch living, and creative work — all while keeping her name tied to something more lasting than a single news cycle.

FAQs

Who is Jessica Rose Lee?

An American businesswoman, equestrian, and photographer who founded Saddle Club and is married to actor Tom Welling.

What does Jessica Rose Lee do for a living?

She runs Saddle Club, works as a photographer, and is reportedly involved in horse breeding, after an earlier career in luxury fashion marketing.

When did Jessica Rose Lee marry Tom Welling?

November 30, 2019, at Sunstone Vineyards & Winery in Santa Ynez, California.

How did Jessica Rose Lee meet Tom Welling?

The exact details were never made public. They reportedly began dating in 2014.

How many children does Jessica Rose Lee have?

Two sons: Thomson Wylde Welling (born 2019) and Rocklin Von Welling (born 2021).

What is Saddle Club?

A California lifestyle brand built around horses and Western culture, with proceeds supporting horse rescue organizations.

Is Jessica Rose Lee still married to Tom Welling?

Yes, as of 2026 the couple remains married and lives on a ranch in Northern California.

What happened with Tom Welling’s DUI arrest?

He was arrested in January 2025 in Yreka, California, and later pleaded no contest to a lesser charge, receiving a fine, restitution, a DUI program, and one year of probation.