Whoopy Doo thought for a moment she was chasing a rodeo buckle for her owner and rider Helen McNaught in the final of the ECPH Five Year Old Championship but managed to redeem herself in the jump-off and secure the top spot.
Helen McNaught wins the National 5 Year Old Title on Whoopy Doo at the National Young Horse Championships 2025. Photo Credit to Cornege Media.
It’s the first time Helen has won an age group championship title at the Bayleys Hawke’s Bay Young Horse Show and one that is incredibly special to her to do it on a homebred mare and at an event very dear to the hearts of her and her husband Duncan McFarlane.
Whoopy Doo – Didi to her mates – is by Double Whoopy, the son of Duncan’s top jumper Mr Whoopy who was no.1 in the United States one year and competed successfully in the million dollar classes and other high-ranked events.
“The first day we showed Didi a pole on the ground she just knew what she had to do,” says Helen. “She really is everything you need in a jumper – has attitude, is scopey, a fighter and more.”
Didi was always going to be Helen’s mostly because at 16.2HH she’s a little small for Duncan, but there was also that connection.
“I think we won it on the turns out there,” says Helen. “She’s just a baby and still learning.”
Helen McNaught wins the National 5 Year Old Title on Whoopy Doo at the National Young Horse Championships 2025. Pictured with the series sponsors, Nicki Hull and Jenny Booth from East Coast Performance Horses. Photo Credit to Cornege Media.
It was just her third show having previously placed second and won the style prize at Takapoto and picking up a first equal at Taupo. The Young Horse Champs were a targeted event for Helen and Didi.
“Everyone wants to breed a good one, don’t they. We’ll just continue to produce her and see what she wants to be. I am not getting any younger. Maybe we’ll take her abroad, but for now she’s going into the field for a bit of a holiday.”
Next up for the mare will be Takapoto in February. “That’s our end goal. She is one of the best I have ever sat on certainly. She needs to enjoy life and her job . . . she’s too good to not do that.”
Twenty-three combinations lined up on the first day with 18 progressing to the final. Three combinations were on clear heading into that all important round – Helen and Whoopy Doo, Jake Lambert (Cambridge) on Takapoto Trinity, and Vicki Prendergast (Matamata) aboard Salvador C. Five went through to an eight-fault jump-off where the top three kept all the rails up – Helen and Whoopy Doo taking the win in 42.43 seconds, Lucy Fell (Palmerston North) on Away Laughing coming in for second in 46.55, and Henry Gaddum (Gisborne) aboard Eye Pinky Promise for third in 48.48.
The style prize went to Vicki Prendergast (Matamata) aboard Cardinal ECPH (Carrera VDL x Zapata ECPH/Zirocco Blue VDL, bred by East Coast Performance Horses).
Results –
East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old Championship: Helen McNaught (Taupo) Whoopy Doo (Double Whoopy x Semper Fidelis/Unknown – bred by Duncan McFarlane and Helen McNaught and owned by Helen McNaught) 1, Lucy Fell (Palmerston North) Away Laughing (Eden du Royuet x Enja MVNZ/Cassini II – bred by Lucy Fell and owned by Lucy Fell) 2, Henry Gaddum (Gisborne) Eye Pinky Promise (Ngahiwi One Eye x Luna/Sorcery – bred by Sophie Gaddum and owned by Sophie and Henry Gaddum) 3, Jake Lambert (Cambridge) Takapoto Trinity (Kannan x Argento/Colman – bred by Takapoto Equestrian and owned by Takapoto Equestrian Ltd 4, Michelle Wakeling (Wellsford) Chacco Eclipse (Chacco Silver x Hazel/Unknown– bred by Rebecca Kerwin and owned by Bruce and Michelle Wakeling) 5, Christine Cornege (Cambridge) Dominick MH (Eurosport Diament B x SPM Roulette MH/River Dance – bred by Angela Miller and owned by Christine Cornege), Candice Fox (Auckland) MacLaren GHP (Mylord Carthago x Yirrkala Ebony/Escudo I, bred by Olivia Hamood and owned by Candice Fox), Sofie Gaddum (Gisborne) Bertie (The Boss x Betty/Pharaoh III, bred by Sofie Gaddum and owned by Sofie and Henry Gaddum). =6.
15 December 2025
Diana Dobson