Bruce Springsteen’s daughter, Jessica Springsteen, didn’t rock her solo equestrian performance as she had hoped in her Olympic debut.
The 29-year-old — whose mom, Patti Scialfa, is also a member of Springsteen’s E Street Band — narrowly failed to qualify for the Olympic individual jumping finals at Tokyo’s Equestrian Park on Tuesday night.
However, Jessica will get back on her beloved horse, Don Juan van de Donkhoeve, on Friday night as part of America’s four-rider entry in the jumping team event.
Jessica missed out on one of the 30 spots in the final and was eliminated about an hour after riding. The Colts Neck, NJ native and her horse received four penalty points after the pair knocked down a rail on the 11th obstacle of the 14-jump course.
“All in all, I’m thrilled with the round, and I’m excited for the rest of the week,” said Jessica, who arrived in Tokyo ranked No. 14 in the world. She was an alternate for the London Games in 2012, but did not participate.
Jessica has been riding “Don,” a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion, for two years, and has gushed over the special bond they share.
“The partnership you have with your horse is everything, and with Don, I have a really, really strong partnership,” Jessica told People before competing at the Summer Games. “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. We definitely have a lot of trust.”
Since fans were banned from attending the rescheduled 2020 Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jessica said her famous family is cheering her on from home.
“My family has gotten so involved in the sport, it’s a huge passion for them,” the Duke alumnae said. “They’ve all been on this journey with me, so I wish we could be there together, but it’s important that everyone stays safe. That’s the most important thing.”