The View From the Top: Saer Coulter

How does one get from motoring around the amateur/owners just a few years ago, to being competitive among today’s international grand prix crowd?

Training with the best is a good step in the right direction, and two years ago, that’s exactly what up-and-comer Saer Coulter did. Without the influence of Markus Beerbaum and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, the talented rider would surely have entered the grand prix level at some point. But with their assistance, she’s become one of the most poised, skilled, and successful young grand prix stars in the United States.

Coulter competed at the uber-elite Trump Invitational in January.

In 2012, Coulter truly established herself as a contender in the international show jumping ranks. Finishing among the top 15 in the 2012 Olympic Trials and USEF National Championship was just the first highlight of an action packed year. Twenty-one year old Coulter proceeded to gain valuable experience on the European show jumping circuit during the summer months, and picked up several more accolades during the fall, including being named the Rolex One to Watch for November.

And so far, 2013 is proving to be even better. She has a solid string of grand prix horses, one of which has jumped five double clear rounds in a row during the HITS Thermal circuit. She turned professional in January and quickly accumulated a group of elite sponsors. She finished near the top of the FEI Western World Cup Qualifying League rankings.

And then there’s her upcoming graduation from Stanford University, planned for this December with a degree in Art History.

And, and, and. Yes, it’s ok to envy her, a little bit.

Based in Northern California, she does her fair share of traveling during the school year, but considers all the effort worth it and values her Stanford experience highly. While keeping up a full show schedule, she has immersed herself in the collegiate world for the past four years (she took a semester off last year to compete in the Olympic Trials in Florida.)

Coulter feels blessed to continue to have the opportunity to train with the Beerbaums, who are celebrities in Germany for their own show jumping accomplishments. American-born Meredith is a near-icon in her adopted country of Germany, for being the first woman ever to reach the world number one ranking in show jumping, and Markus is a former European champion.

But despite their glittery reputations, the married training couple are down to earth, and serve as a huge base of support for Coulter.

“They don’t overtrain, but everything they say is easy to follow,” she says. “They’ve done incredible things for me and my horses.”

Coulter’s situation is unique in that she runs her own barn, with the assistance of a manager and riders. Her Copernicus Stables is officially based near Petaluma, but this year, Coulter will spend much of her time on the road. The Beerbaums step in when needed, and especially before competitions, to help tune the horses up. The support of Coulter’s family allows her to train and operate at a truly top level, but even the most intuitive horsemen can stand to learn a thing or two from the likes of a Beerbaum. Coulter was a great rider before she rode with them, but under their influence, her style became subtler, more effective, and she began to ride with an unflappable confidence.

The Beerbaums have also been instrumental in helping Coulter put together a string of going grand prix horses that have the talent to support her at the 1.60m level. There’s her veteran mount Springtime, who at 14 years is still the top dog with the most experience. Serving as back up for him are three exciting horses, the 9 year old stallion Don VHP Z is the one that keeps jumping clear at Thermal, and then there’s Carmena Z, a white stallion that is a speed specialist. And Graciella 50, who won the $32,000 Markel Insurance Classic at the Las Vegas National with Coulter in November, and is always hungry to go into the ring and win.

“It’s a wide range, and the differences between the horses is fun for me,” says Coulter. “It’s taught me that I can ride different kinds of horses.”

"I'm excited for the future with him," says Coulter of Don VHP Z, who she had an instant connection with when she tried him.

In 2011 and 2012, Coulter focused on moving up to the top, international level of show jumping. She was out there to get experience, to see the Global Champions Tour and learn from the best. This year, she will return with a new comfort riding at that top level, and her deeper string of horses is meant to help her be truly competitive.

“The biggest jump I ever made was from the1.50m to the 1.60m level,” Coulter adds. “There are those little subtle differences that start to mean a whole lot, and the only way to learn it is just to jump as many classes as you can.”

Coulter will be based at the Beerbaum’s farm in Germany during the summer, and will travel to shows from there. Even though it’s “in the middle of nowhere” according to her, she describes it as an ideal place to train from, and enjoys living there with the horses and her team.

However, at this moment in time, there are two more weeks of the HITS Thermal Desert Circuit to close out. Coulter’s racked up a slew of 2nd and 3rd grand prix placings, and she’s got her eye on the upcoming AIG Million Grand Prix on March 17th. Despite her young age, she’ll undoubtedly be one of a small group of riders on the entry list that will have the toolset to tackle what’s being predicted to be a monster course.

Keep your eye on this one, for she’s going to keep on rising until she reaches the tippy top.

Like Saer Coulter on Facebook to follow her travels and see more pictures.