Kate Upton Turns 23; Glamorous Photos, Interesting Facts about 'Sports Illustrated' Model

Kate Upton the "Sports Illustrated" Swimsuit model that "Dougied" her way into America's heart at a 2011 Los Angeles Clippers' game, is celebrating her 23rd birthday on Wednesday, 10 June.

Besides being the cover model for Vanity Fair 100th anniversary edition, Upton has earned many prestigious modelling spots including being named the "Rookie of the Year" after her first appearance in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue of 2011.

Upton, whose net worth is around $20 million, has also made a foray into acting, having starred in films like "The Other Woman", "Tower Heist" and "The Three Stooges". She will also be seen in the upcoming film, "The Layover".

In celebration of her 23rd birthday, here are some interesting facts about Kate Upton, who is pegged as one of the sexiest models of this generation.

• Upton is very fond of horses and is also an an accomplished equestrian, having won a total of five different championships. 
• She is the first model, since Tyra Banks (who appeared in 1996 and 1997) to appear on cover of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues back to back (in 2012 and 2013).
• Kate Upton's mother Shelley Upton was a former state Tennis champion from Texas and her uncle Fred Upton is the Congressman for the Sixth Congressional District of Michigan.
• Kate's great-grandfather is a co-founder of the Whirlpool Corporation, which is currently a billion dollar company.
• She dated an Ukrainian dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who is 13 years her senior, and is one of the professional dancers in the show "Dancing with the Stars", from June to December 2013.