Who Is Jessica Springsteen? 5 Things to Know About Bruce Springsteen’s Olympics-Bound Daughter

Credit: MediaPunch/Shutterstock

Who Is Jessica Springsteen? 5 Things to Know About Bruce Springsteen’s Olympics-Bound Daughter

Born to … ride! Bruce Springsteen’s daughter, Jessica Springsteen, was chosen to compete on the United States’ equestrian team for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. “Been dreaming of this since I can remember! Endless gratitude for my team, friends and family for helping me make this a reality. We are Tokyo bound!!” Jessica, 29, wrote via Instagram to announce the news on Tuesday, July 6. The athlete, who is ranked 27th in the world, will ride her 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion Don Juan van de Donkhoeve at the games. Team USA’s four-person team also includes riders Kent Farrington, Laura Kraut and McLain Ward. “Honored to be a part of this team with @laurakraut @teamkpf and @mclainward.official. There’s no horse in the world I’d rather be on this journey with, thank you Don! You’re my horse of a lifetime🤗Let’s go USA!🇺🇸🎉” Jessica added. The summer Olympic games were originally set to kick off in Japan in July 2020. However, organizers were forced to reschedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the international sports event is slated to begin on July 23. [sendtonews type="float" key="9LH2IWYLWs-2840783-14453"] While she came close to her Olympic dreams in the past, the 2021 games will mark Jessica’s first time officially going for the gold. The USA riding teams’ qualifying and final events will take place on August 6 and 7. After Jessica announced her news, several celebrities shared their excitement for the upcoming event in her Instagram post's comments section. “Beyond congratulations!!!!!!! We will be cheering for you!’😍😍😍😍😍😍😍,” Kaley Cuoco wrote. In a separate comment, Matthew Koma added a row of heart emojis. While the Los Angeles native comes from a family of musicians (her mother, Patti Scialfa, is a singer as well), she showed a skill for riding from an early age. “We had a really grounded upbringing, and it was nice that I always had riding to focus on and have something a little bit for myself,” Jessica told CNN in May 2019. “I think that really helped me grow and become who I am today. And it taught me to work hard and to dedicate myself to something.” According to the athlete, the Olympics were always “a dream.” Throughout her life, there was never a time she didn’t want to compete. “The one thing that draws me to this sport and what I love so much about it, is that when you’re in that ring for 90 seconds everything else just kind of fades away,” she told CNN. Scroll to learn more about Jessica Springsteen ahead of the 2021 games: [podcast_block]

Credit: MediaPunch/Shutterstock

Who Is Jessica Springsteen? 5 Things to Know About Bruce Springsteen’s Olympics-Bound Daughter

Born to … ride! Bruce Springsteen’s daughter, Jessica Springsteen, was chosen to compete on the United States’ equestrian team for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. “Been dreaming of this since I can remember! Endless gratitude for my team, friends and family for helping me make this a reality. We are Tokyo bound!!” Jessica, 29, wrote via Instagram to announce the news on Tuesday, July 6. The athlete, who is ranked 27th in the world, will ride her 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion Don Juan van de Donkhoeve at the games. Team USA’s four-person team also includes riders Kent Farrington, Laura Kraut and McLain Ward. “Honored to be a part of this team with @laurakraut @teamkpf and @mclainward.official. There’s no horse in the world I’d rather be on this journey with, thank you Don! You’re my horse of a lifetime🤗Let’s go USA!🇺🇸🎉” Jessica added. The summer Olympic games were originally set to kick off in Japan in July 2020. However, organizers were forced to reschedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the international sports event is slated to begin on July 23. [sendtonews type="float" key="9LH2IWYLWs-2840783-14453"] While she came close to her Olympic dreams in the past, the 2021 games will mark Jessica’s first time officially going for the gold. The USA riding teams’ qualifying and final events will take place on August 6 and 7. After Jessica announced her news, several celebrities shared their excitement for the upcoming event in her Instagram post's comments section. “Beyond congratulations!!!!!!! We will be cheering for you!’😍😍😍😍😍😍😍,” Kaley Cuoco wrote. In a separate comment, Matthew Koma added a row of heart emojis. While the Los Angeles native comes from a family of musicians (her mother, Patti Scialfa, is a singer as well), she showed a skill for riding from an early age. “We had a really grounded upbringing, and it was nice that I always had riding to focus on and have something a little bit for myself,” Jessica told CNN in May 2019. “I think that really helped me grow and become who I am today. And it taught me to work hard and to dedicate myself to something.” According to the athlete, the Olympics were always “a dream.” Throughout her life, there was never a time she didn’t want to compete. “The one thing that draws me to this sport and what I love so much about it, is that when you’re in that ring for 90 seconds everything else just kind of fades away,” she told CNN. Scroll to learn more about Jessica Springsteen ahead of the 2021 games: [podcast_block]

Credit: Courtesy of Jessica Springsteen/Instagram

1. It’s Not Her First Rodeo

Jessica was an alternate at the 2012 London Summer Games. However, she failed in her bid to make the 2016 Rio Games.

“I think it’s all about timing, and I hope that [Tokyo] will be the right time for me,” she told CNN in May 2019.

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2. She’s Bruce and Patti’s Only Daughter

Jessica has one older brother, Evan, and one younger brother, Sam.

Credit: Courtesy of Jessica Springsteen/Instagram

3. She Grew Up Riding

Raised on a horse farm in New Jersey, Jessica got her first pony at 6 years old.

“I had a lot of success on the ponies, and then I switched to horses,” she told Equestrian Living in a September 2020 feature story.

Credit: Courtesy of Jessica Springsteen/Instagram

4. She Selects Her Own Horses

According to Equestrian Living, Jessica is incredibly involved with the selection of her horses.

“Your connection with the horse is everything, and you want to be as involved as possible. You definitely want to have a good feeling the first time you sit on a horse,” she told the magazine.

Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

5. Her Parents Are Proud

“It has been so helpful having parents who are able to support my career. I feel very blessed,” she told the Daily Mail in October 2015. Eagle-eyed fans also noticed in July 2021 that Bruce had a break in Springsteen on Broadway dates during the Olympics — a smart planning move in case his daughter made the team.