Bruce Springsteen is an undoubtedly essential character in American pop culture history, and now his children are following in his footsteps… or, should we say hoofsteps? Jessica Springsteen, the second child of the Born in the USA icon and first-time Olympian, made her country proud all the way from Tokyo this week by taking home a silver medal in team equestrian jumping. To paraphrase her father: She certainly didn’t “end up like a dog that’s been beat too much.”
Alongside her teammates Laura Kraut and McLain Ward, the 29-year-old Springsteen just barely trailed behind Sweden’s equestrian team; Belgium nabbed bronze in the sport. Though she failed to advance in the individual equestrian competitions earlier this year, Springsteen and her trusty horse Don Juan van de Donkhoeve were in perfect shape for the team event.
“The partnership you have with your horse is everything, and with Don I have a really, really strong partnership,” Springsteen told People. “Sometimes you get a horse and it can take you a long time to get to know each other, but with him, we came together quickly and we’ve been able to build on that ever since.” Though Springsteen is a born-and-raised Los Angelean, she spent a good chunk of her childhood refining her horse riding skills on her family’s farm in — you guessed it — New Jersey.
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Tokyo Olympics aside, this year is shaping up to be an eventful one for the Springsteen fam: The Boss’ newly-reopened Broadway show, Springsteen on Broadway, is on a limited run through September 4th — he made a splash during its first night back by joking about his recent DWI arrest (the charges were ultimately dismissed). In 2022, the E Street Band will reunite for a long-awaited tour.
