Margaret Duprey Instills Importance Of Education Through Philanthropy
By Annan Hepner
For lifelong horsewoman Margaret Duprey, supporting charitable programs that align with her passion for education inspires her involvement not only in the equestrian industry, but in many international philanthropies.
Growing up just outside of Philadelphia, Duprey was immersed in the horse world from a young age. “I come from a family that owned racehorses throughout my childhood — horses are in my blood,” she explained.
Duprey, a Grand Prix dressage rider, owns and operates Cherry Knoll Farm, with locations in Wellington and West Grove, Pa. In addition to it being a haven for retired horses, the Pennsylvania location breeds Black Angus cattle that are nationally competitive and sought-after. Operated with the philosophy of “quality over quantity,” the farm is recognized in the market for its attention to premier genetics in the Black Angus it produces.
Since moving to Wellington 11 years ago from the west coast of Florida, Duprey has come to treasure the unique atmosphere of the world’s winter equestrian capital.
“I love that the winters are warm and Wellington has so much to offer,” she explained. “Wellington is an area where people from all over the world come to enjoy the best of horse sport. It has the ability to house all of these talented horses from different disciplines. It is always nice to watch the best riders train and show, and I enjoy watching great jumping.”
Besides her personal dressage endeavors, Duprey is involved at all levels of the sport, from importing high-quality young horses to train up through the levels to owning high-performance horses. She owns Beijing Olympic gold medalist Cedric and decorated grand prix show jumper Constable, both competed by Laura Kraut, as well as Rio Paralympic mount Schroeter’s Romani, ridden by Rebecca Hart. She is also a partner in a syndication for top international show jumper Andretti S.
“Watching my horses progress into Olympic athletes is a joy and a profoundly rewarding experience,” Duprey said. “It is every rider’s childhood dream to go to the Olympics. The only way you can go to the Olympics is to have horses of that caliber, so that was my goal. There was a point in my life when I realized I personally could not compete; however, I could help sponsor someone who could go to the Olympics and still be a part of the team.”
In addition to owning world-class equines, she has a deep passion for horses and the people involved with them. Duprey is an active board member for numerous organizations in the equine realm, as well as philanthropies with education initiatives.
In 2015, Duprey became Brooke USA’s first ambassador with the goal of taking international animal welfare to a new level and educating owners and laborers to take better care of their animals. Brooke USA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the betterment of the lives of working animals all over the world.
“It is a great organization that educates people for the benefit of the animals — how to take care of them and educating people in the community,” she explained. “It’s being able to make a difference. By working directly with animal-owning communities and providing practical education, it comes full circle. Brooke USA is a charity that helps the animals and the people. No matter how well-educated, where you come from or how old you are, change is always hard. There is always going to be that resistance. Brooke USA approaches this challenge with strategy, education and proven techniques, which help those individuals build their own understanding. In turn, they have developed a sustainable program that is effective.”
Duprey has also given unwavering support to JustWorld International, a nonprofit based in Wellington, as well as the Caridad Center. As a graduate of Cabrini University in Radnor, Pa., she served on its board of trustees for numerous years, and now serves as a trustee for the United States Equestrian Team Foundation.
In addition to her contributions to various nonprofit organizations, she recently gifted Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa., a donation to enhance its veterinary medical technology (VMT) program. The new Equi-Assist program trains VMT students to provide horses the best veterinary care possible while they remain in their home to ease stress and make the recovery process more efficient.
“The program was launched last year and creates a team approach between the veterinarian, the vet tech, the owner and the groom to ensure that the horse receives the best care while recovering at home,” Duprey said. “It is something that is being well-received in all aspects of the equine industry.”
She plans to continue these efforts to help the horse community.
“When I choose philanthropies to support or design initiatives myself, I like to think outside of the box,” Duprey said. “I often select programs that are educational for the children or young adults because they are the ones who are the future of the sport and the community. They are the ones who are going to follow in our footsteps, and education at the lower level is important.”
To learn more about Margaret Duprey, visit www.cherryknollfarminc.com.
