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Ellises Aim to Make Dvu Warren Farm In Jersey One of States Showplaces Boasts Indoor Jogging Ring, Two Training Tracks; Within Hours Driving Time of N. Y. By FRED GROSSMAN Staff Correspondent FAR HILLS, N. J., June 24. A modern thoroughbred nursery, Dhu Varren Farm, has arisen during the past few months in this fertile, rolling New Jersey countryside just an hours drive from New York City. Though still in its formative stages, Dhu Varren, owned by E. H. "Dutch" Ellis and his wife, Glenn, already has given indications of becoming a solid pillar in the rapidly growing New Jersey breeding industry. Covering 350 acres of some of the finest land in this area, Dhu Varren currently is in the final phase of a rebuilding program that" will make it one of the most well appointed horse farms in the east. Dhu Varren", which boasts an indoor jogging ring and two training tracks, has the facilities to care for some 50 horses. The Ellises, who formerly maintained a small horse farm in Connecticut, acquired their present property, which is the old Evander V. Schley estate, late last summer. They named it Dhu Varren, incidentally, after Mrs. Ellis grandfathers farm in Ireland, although the exact meaning of the term appears to have been lost with the years. For more than 40 years, the Schley estate was the scene of the Essex steeplechase meeting, an annual feature th Ellises will retain. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, who have been racing their own stock on a small scale for a number of years their best so far has bepn Early Night, a good two-year-old in New England last season started the present operation at Dhu Varren almost from scratch. The stallion and main barn, on the property when they acquired it, have since been completely refurbished, and they are erecting two other barns, one a 12-stali structure especially for broodmares. In addition, they have just completed 16 other stalls in a unique building that may well become the showplace of the breeding industry. This is a massive edifice that once housed one of the nations finest indoor clay tennis courts. Measuring 130 feet long, 64 feet wide and more than 70 feet high to the top of its skylighted roof, the building js so well ventilated that the air can be completely changed in less than 15 minutes. Finding its clay floor ideal footing for horses, Ellis has remodelled the structure to provide an indoor galloping ring and stabling facilities. Sixteen large stalls eight compartments arranged back-to-back have been constructed in the center of the huge floor. Each stall is nine feet high so that yearlings being broken can be mounted in their own quarters and ridden in and out at will. This arrangement leaves room around the center stalls for a jogging ring 20 feet. wide. This building is also unusual in that it provides a place to work horses regardless of the weather outside. This means there are no days lost in the breaking, training or legging up of horses going to the track. Some 20 feet up on the eastern wall of the building is a balcony which extends out from a huge reception room. Ellis has left this feature intact, so that owners visiting the farm to see their horses will have a good, view of them on the fogging 3track. " The water for horses in this structure, as well as in the other barns, comes from some 27 springs in the hills back of the farm. All barns are also equipped with hot-water and refrigeration equipment. Dhu Varrens facilities for training horses are superlative. There will be two tracks for the horses to be conditioned on. One, being constructed, will have a dirt surface and will be six furlongs in circumference. The other, a one-mile turf course, is already in use. The turf course was built with a view towards providing proper training opportunities in this day of the increasing popularity of grass racing. Eilis has set up Dhu Varren both as a stud farm and also as a place to break, train and rest thoroughbreds." He is currently negotiating for a top-rated stallion to stand at Far Hills. The soil at Dhu Varren is of especial interest, many experts declaring it among the best for raising horses. Ellis attributes its high quality to the fact that for 50 years herds of cows have grazed the fields of Dhu Varren. Private soil analysts and New Jersey State conservation officials report the amount of essential bone-building minerals in the Dhu Varren land is more than double the standard for good horse pasturage. In addition, Ellis has at Dhu Varren a herd of 45 Black Angus cattle which he rotates in the fields with the horses to assure the continued high quality of the soil. Horses in the fields are well provided for. All the pastures have mountain streams running through them to give the horses a fresh supply of water. Ellis has just completed fencing off several broodmare and turnout paddocks. Tommy Forde, who was assistant trainer to G. H. "Pete" Bostwick for eight years, and who .broke the Maine Chance Farm string of yearlings last year, is now managing all the horse activities at Dhu Varren for the Ellises.
