Sport

Jessica Springsteen proves she’s the boss in Aga Khan

Bruce Springsteen’s daughter was part of team that clinched trophy at Dublin Horse Show

Jessica Springsteen and Charlie Jayne celebrate with the Nations Cup. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

Ronan McGreevy's face
Ronan McGreevy
Fri Aug 8 2014 - 20:49

Bruce Springsteen’s daughter came to her father’s old stomping ground at the RDS in Dublin today and triumphed just like him.

Jessica Springsteen was part of the United States team which edged out Great Britain in the Aga Khan Trophy in front of 17,000 spectators.

Jessica (22) ended a stellar week with two clear rounds which helped her team to a near faultless performance. It followed on from her winning performance in the Anglesea Stakes last night.

Bruce Springsteen was at the RDS today to watch his daughter Jessica. Phogoraph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

Afterwards she praised her horse, Vindicat W, the Olympic-winning mount of British rider Peter Charles, for putting in an “unbelievable” performance yesterday.

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“I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I haven’t been on that many Nations Cup teams so I was definitely a bit nervous. He has a unique way of going. I like that he is so brave and so confident and he makes me feel confident stepping into a course like this.”

As for her parents, she said: “I’m really happy they’ve come to watch. They’ve come to see me several times this summer.”

It was the United States’ third Nations Cup success in seven days and their first win in the Aga Khan for 21 years.

Bruce Springsteen is used to successful appearances at this venue which he has made his own over the last three decades and he was present yesterday for a third time this week.

At the end of the competition, as President Michael D Higgins made the presentation, Springsteen and his wife emerged from the grandstand to take their places at the side railings with seemingly half of the audience in pursuit.

When asked if he was pleased for his daughter, he responded succinctly: “Oh yeah, absolutely.”

Jessica Springsteen was not even the youngest rider on the US team. Katherine Dinan, who is 21, brought her lucky mascot, a chihuahua named Delilah which she adopted at a riding championship in the US. “She brought all of the US good luck today,” said Dinan.

It was a day of blazing sunshine punctuated by showers for the capacity crowd at the RDS. Organisers are pleased with crowds this week which should reach the 100,000 mark.

The new Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Paschal Donohoe was ebullient about recent tourism figures which are up 10 per cent on the same time last year.

President Higgins said the horse show was one of the few events for which he breaks off his holidays, the other being the the Fleadh Cheoil. “You get all walks of life here,” he said.