Arthur Boyd Hancock III

Arthur Boyd Hancock III, 83, of Paris, a devoted husband, father and grandfather passed away peacefully on Sept. 18, 2026 at his home on his beloved Stone Farm after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
Born on Feb. 22, 1943, in Nashville to the late Arthur B. Hancock, Jr. and Waddell Walker Hancock, he was raised in Paris on his family’s Claiborne Farm. He attended Woodberry Forest School in Orange, Virginia and graduated from Vanderbilt University where he studied history and was captain of the swim team, setting SEC records.
Fondly known as “Hawk” by his friends and family, Arthur had a fiercely independent spirit. Arthur was a Renaissance man; musician, songwriter, philosopher, poet and author, as well as a horseman, farmer and conservationist.
He will be remembered for his wisdom, warmth and humor. He entertained his loved ones with colorful stories, adages, jokes, songs and his daily puns — always followed by “A pun a day keeps the blues away!” He would often recite a fitting poem, quote or lyric from memory. Arthur viewed life through a mystical lens and found a connection to the Divine through nature, omens and signs from beyond.
He carried a deep respect for the land, and found peace on his notoriously long walks on the farm with his German shepherd. He believed “If you take care of the land, the land will take care of you.”
Arthur pursued a career in one of his great passions, music, and in 1967 he was signed with Fred Foster to Monument Records in Nashville. It was not long however that he left Nashville to return to his Kentucky roots and dedicate his life to his other great passion: horses.
After his father’s death in 1972 he left the family farm and set out on his own. He built his Stone Farm just six miles down the road where he raised three Kentucky Derby Winners, eight champions and more than 225 stakes winners. His love for horses exceeded far beyond the business. He had a deep respect for them and shared their sensitive, intuitive nature and spirit.
He lived by the mantra, “You can’t go wrong doing the next right thing.” Arthur was fearless in his opinions and committed to integrity. Through the years he was an advocate for drug-free racing, sales integrity, limited stud books, equine after care and land conservation.
He was a member of the Jockey Club, and through the years served on the Kentucky State Racing Commission and the Boards of The Thoroughbred Club of America, Keeneland Association, Fasig Tipton and The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
In 2020, he was tapped as the Honor Guest of The Thoroughbred Club of America. In 2025 he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame as a Pillar of the Turf. In October 2026, he will be posthumously inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.
His love of music continued throughout his life. He was an avid songwriter and a lifelong advocate of Bluegrass music. His home was filled with the melodic sounds of his Martin guitar and the tenor of his voice. Arthur released several singles and four albums, and penned songs recorded by Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Grandpa Jones and others.
In 2024 he released his auto-biography Dark Horses, A Memoir of Redemption which tells his life story. He lived a bold life, but it was not one without adversity. Arthur felt that if he could help just one person by telling his story, it was worth telling.
He loved his family with all his heart, and they loved him in equal measure. He is survived by his beloved wife and partner of 48 years, Staci (Worthington) Hancock; six children, Walker Hancock, Hutchi Hancock (Ben Kruger), Kate Hancock, Alex Hancock (Jak Knelman), Arthur Hancock IV (Jessie Hancock) and Lynn Hancock; six grandchildren, Simon and Alastair Kruger and Elizabeth, Adler, Della and Kip Knelman; a brother, Seth Hancock; a sister Dell Hancock; and his lifelong friend, Paul Sullivan. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Clay Hancock.
May his memory bring comfort to those who knew and loved him. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Waddell Walker Hancock Cancer Discovery Fund at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Gifts can be mailed to:
The Waddell Walker Hancock Cancer Discovery Fund
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Office of Development/attn: Beth Jones
PO Box 290369
525 Royal Parkway
Nashville, TN 37229-0369
Arrangements are entrusted to Kerr Brothers Funeral Home, Lexington.
Farewell dear Hawk. Fly high.