When it comes to the experiences Monica Theodorescu and Otto Becker have made in their equestrian lives, one statement is undoubtedly true: “They have seen it all in their careers.” She was first a highly decorated dressage rider and has now been the national coach for dressage for 13 years; he was a successful show jumper and has already been the national coach for show jumping for 16 years – Theodorescu and Becker are two of the most influential figures in the recent history of German equestrian sport. How they work and what they are like in private is revealed in the new episode of the CHIO Aachen Podcast, which is the first part of a two-episode special.

In their roles as national coaches, hardly anything can throw them off course – they are considered calm and reflective people and have known each other since their own junior days. Especially in the many decisions they have to make almost daily, whether it’s about starting permissions, conversations with riders, or weighing different options, transparency and empathy help them. “It’s important to stick to your principles, to be trustworthy, and to stay true to yourself,” says Otto Becker, naming a recipe for success. Monica Theodorescu adds other factors such as restraint and modesty: “In this position, it’s not about me, but about the riders and the horses. I’m not important.” They are “service providers,” so to speak, operating around the clock.

Both bring an enormous attention to detail and, above all, time to the job. Free weekends, summer vacations, regular working hours – those are foreign concepts to them. And so, as the 62-year-old Monica Theodorescu and the 66-year-old Otto Becker amusingly report, they have both been spared the potentially unpleasant side effects of aging: “We’re on the road so much. I can’t imagine having time for a midlife crisis,” Monica Theodorescu says with a laugh.

Her path into equestrian sport was mapped out by her family, and she had the best conditions for a great career from the start. “I’m an only child – certainly pampered, but not spoiled,” she emphasizes. Otto Becker, on the other hand, grew up as the only child of a winemaker family and was actually meant to take over the family business. In the end, he chose riding, although he has always remained connected to winemaking: “There’s still a great responsibility there.”

What Otto Becker talks about with his riders when it’s not about horses, and what passions Monica Theodorescu pursues outside of equestrian sport, are revealed in the new episode of the CHIO Aachen Podcast. You can find it here and wherever podcasts are available.