Calm, unpretentious, unbeatable in her professional expertise: Monica Theodorescu, national dressage trainer, is a central component of Germany’s successes. At the World Championships in Herning, Denmark, their gold-spoiled team is not favored for the first time in a long time.
The petite woman at the edge of the square cannot be overlooked. No wonder, since Monica Theodorescu, national dressage trainer of the German Equestrian Federation, is one of the greatest of her kind in the world. She can be as silent as a grave, has integrity and is reliable, calm, unpretentious and a master of her trade. Priceless qualities in the sometimes operetta-like world of dancing horses. At the World Championships in Herning, Denmark (from Saturday), their gold-spoiled team is not favored for the first time in a long time. Four four-legged and three two-legged World Cup debutants are in the German squad, but: “I don’t give a damn about that. If everyone does their job, I’m happy,” says Monica Theodorescu.
“MT” will do its job perfectly as always. On October 1, 2012, she took over the position of national coach from her current co. Jonny Hilberath, who stepped in after the sudden death of Holger Schmezer in April 2012. Under the leadership of the now 59-year-old, Germany won titles and medals on an assembly line, including three golds, two silvers and one bronze at the 2016 and 2021 Olympics. Your secret of success? “I do not have any secrets.” The strengths of other nations? “I only deal with my riders.” World Cup predictions for Herning? “I never make predictions, I watch my team and in the end I look at the scoreboard.” With that, all has been said.
It was already clear from the day of her birth that horses would become Monica Theodorescu’s purpose in life. Her father George Theodorescu, Olympic starter for Romania in 1956, was one of the most sought-after dressage trainers in the world. Her mother Inge Fellgiebel, second wife of the show jumping legend Hans Günter Winkler, achieved some success in show jumping and dressage. The two met – where else – at the CHIO 1956 in Aachen, in 1963 their daughter Monica was born.
Her father wanted her to become a pianist, as she once told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. But then the family moved and there was no longer room for the piano in the new apartment. It began the success story of dressage rider Monica Theodorescu, who became team Olympic champion three times in a row with the mighty Ganimedes (1988) and with Grunox (1992, 1996).
Okay, and if no prognosis, then maybe: what does Monica Theodorescu want for the World Cup? “That my riders and their horses stay healthy. We’ll see about everything else then.” So is everything possible? “Anything is always possible.” No further questions.
