One of the state’s best-known stables has been sold, with plans in the works for refurbishment that will bring Duncraven back to its glory days.
The facility in Titusville, Mercer County, had been on the market for several years. Though it is in farmland preservation, which means the property can’t become a housing development, there was no guarantee that it would remain a horse farm, since other agricultural uses could have been permitted there.
Shawn Stout, who lives in Ewing Township, drove past Duncraven one day and noticed the parcel was available. He brought it up with his father, Harry Stout III, who is retired from the family business, Stout’s Transportation, but always alert for investments.
Shawn Stout will be managing the Duncraven Equestrian Center.
“Check this out,” Shawn told his dad, explaining that in his family “there’s an interest in horses and (I) thought it would be something to look into.” They went by the place, almost “on a whim” and liked what they saw.
The family, which also includes Shawn’s brothers Tim and Harry (H.J.) IV, formed YKnot Acres to buy Duncraven in a purchase that closed Dec. 30. From one perspective, the move seems like destiny.
While growing up in Pennington, Shawn did some team penning with quarter horses and recalled Duncraven as “a cool place.” He noted his father had kept horses near the Duncraven acreage years ago.
They want to continue the horse shows that are there, and perhaps bring in more.
“I’m excited they are horse people,” said Nancy Wallis, who was the head trainer at Duncraven for decades. She began there the day it opened, in 1993, leaving when it closed in 2020.
“It was my entire life for that many years,” she sighed
“It could have gone many different ways with that farm. The fact that they would still be interested in having horse shows is excellent, because that’s the facility. The location is superior in this state. It’s easy to get to from either direction. That’s what made it such a draw for the horse shows too,” Nancy observed.
The 61-acre tract initially was purchased as an investment for potential development by Tim Fedor, envisioned “as an equestrian estates type of development,” he recalled when Duncraven went on the market in 2019 for $2.5 million.
“Then my family kind of took a 360 and was more into preserving things. We also owned 75 acres across the street, which we sold to the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space Program nine or ten years ago,” he said at the time he decided to market Duncraven.
Shawn sees the future for what will be called Duncraven Equestrian Center as “pretty much the same operation…a little more enhanced.”
The rings at Duncraven have hosted scores of horse shows over the years. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
The goal involves elevating it to the standard of its glory days in the 1990s and early 2000s.
“We want to bring it back to the pristine barn that it was. It was a good fun, family atmosphere. It was well taken care of. The concept will be the same,” continued Shawn, who plans to “bring in a few trainers.” At the moment, only one trainer, Alexis Pornovets, is operating on the premises.
She has 12 horses in training and does all the work herself. Knowing that Duncraven is being saved and improved is understandably important to her.
“We all love the rings and the atmosphere of it. They have big plans…wanting it to look like it used to look. I’m excited for that,” she commented.
The trainers who move to Duncraven will handle the horse end of things; “I’ll be more the barn and general manager-type person,” said Shawn.
“Whatever we can do in there, we’re going to do,” he promised, adding, “We’re cleaning the whole thing up, replacing all the fencing, renovating the barn, redoing all the offices. We’re giving it a complete makeover.”
He’s hoping that work, which includes new footing for the outdoor rings, will be finished by the spring, estimating there will be 40 stalls for boarding, and plans on reserving a couple of stalls for his own horses when he buys them.
Shawn and his brothers went on a cattle drive in Wyoming during August. It was the first time he had ridden in 20 years, but it was a good reminder that horses interest him.
“It’s a pleasure for people,” he said, “and I like seeing people have pleasure. It’s something to enjoy with them.”
Duncraven diversifies the family’s holdings, but Shawn is bringing with him lessons he learned in their transportation business, which operates everything from a variety of shuttles to luxury vehicles.
“The little things matter,” he emphasized.
Big name trainers have been based at Duncraven over the years, starting with Gary Kunsman and continuing through eventer Buck Davidson and grand prix show jumper Kevin Babington.
“Duncraven will always have a part of my heart. So many memories there,” said Dianna Babington, Kevin’s wife. “Literally most of my young adult life was connected to that place, along with so many relationships with the best of people.”
For the past two years, Duncraven has hosted a benefit show for Kevin, who was paralyzed in a 2019 fall during a grand prix.
“I am hopeful that the new owner will allow us to keep the benefit show for Kevin there,” said Dianna.
Dianna Babington during a benefit show for her husband, Kevin, at Duncraven. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I am really happy it will remain a horse facility,” she continued, noting that too many stables have disappeared from the state recently.
“It’s great news to hear,” agreed Karyn Malinowski, founding director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center.
That’s especially true, she noted, in view of the recent action regarding Gaitway Farm in Manalapan, which houses up to 600 standardbreds and has been a premier training center at the hub of harness racing in New Jersey.
The township committee voted last month to rezone the property along Route 33 for warehouses and sports complexes. Karyn is hoping “enough land will be preserved so the training center can stay and then do what they want with the rest of the property.”
On the other side of the coin, she pointed out, “Duncraven has a long history on the New Jersey horse show circuit. I think it’s wonderful that it has been purchased and will remain in its current use. That’s what we need in the Garden State.
“There’s a disproportionate amount of horse farms being sold compared to other agricultural commodities,” she explained.
“A lot of those large farms were racing farms and when the purse enhancement award went away in 2010, people said, `We’re getting out.'”
Now it’s starting to bounce back because the state has reinvested $20 million a year for the next five years for purse structure. It’s split half and half between thoroughbreds and standardbreds, said Karyn, noting there is another $2 million incentive for the Sire Stakes program for Jerseybred standardbreds.
“That’s a percentage of the sports book betting at the Meadowlands. We are in a renaissance as far as racing is right now.”
