Jumper rider Saer Coulter will be adding a new grand prix mount to her stable: Mr. Whoopy. Coulter’s family farm, Copernicus Stables, purchased the Hanoverian stallion (Contendro—Whoopy, Watzmann) from Simone Otus Coxe earlier this week.

Mr. Whoopy, 12, campaigned through the 1.60-meter level with Duncan McFarlane, who rides for New Zealand but is based in San Ramon, Calif. McFarlane has been riding Mr. Whoopy since the stallion was 5 and brought him up the ranks. They finished second in the 2011 HITS Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix (N.Y.), won two FEI World Cup Qualifiers in 2012, and earned several top placings in 2013 to boost McFarlane to fourth in the current North American West Coast League World Cup standings.

“Duncan has done such a nice job bringing him along,” said Coulter, San Francisco. “Being from California, we’ve watched the horse for many years do impressive things. He’s jumped a lot of clear rounds in many different locations, and he’s been really consistent. We were very lucky he became available.”

Coulter tried Mr. Whoopy back in November during the Los Angeles National (Calif.), and she said his trademark playful style doesn’t bother her at all.

“He has a lot of personality,” she said. “I really like stallions, and I’ve had a lot of them. I get along with a horse with plenty of personality. When he bucks, I’ll hold on!”

Coulter is spending most of the winter in Wellington, Fla., but she’s heading to Thermal, Calif., to compete Springtime during HITS Desert Circuit II. She’ll bring Mr. Whoopy back to Wellington from there. 

“It takes time to get to know a new horse, and we’ll see what we end up with,” she said. “I’m really excited about him.”