How did you become involved with making Kürs?

“I was a rider myself, and I studied music when I left school – but my parents decided I should do something ‘serious’ so I was a public servant with the German government for twenty eight years. Then following a heart operation, and serious back problems, I left government service and I had plenty of time. So I picked it up again…”

Who was the first rider you made a freestyle for?

“The first rider was a Grand Prix rider from Holland, Bert Rutten, he lives in my neighbourhood, and he said ‘Alie, you are a musician, you know how to deal with a horse, can you help me?’ So I started. My first World Cup freestyle was in 1986, for Anky van Grunsven, then she had her first horse, Prisco. Then I have helped riders like Gyulla Dallos and Aktion, Sven Rothenberger, I worked with Sven and Bo at the World Cup Final in Hollywood, then with Weyden at Atlanta.”