About Whipstick Farm

Whipstick Farm was originally founded in 1991 by Frank and Bonnie Cunniffe. After meeting in New York, they began their South Salem business, and continued the growth of Whipstick in 1993 when the pair became the very first farm to settle in Grand Prix Village in Wellington, Florida.

Today, Whipstick calls South Salem home while spending winters in Wellington. As a training facility, Whipstick has produced a long, acclaimed list of riders. With a specialized approach to training and over 30 years of experience, Whipstick is a top training team for horses and students of all levels in the hunter, jumper and equitation rings. Providing riders with customized programs to help them reach their goals, Whipstick has developed riders from their novice days through winning championships at all of the major finals across the country.

After a successful junior career, Ailish joined her parents’ training team. With a true passion for the horse industry, Frank, Bonnie, and Ailish continue to train students and horses to produce results in and out of the show ring, and to reach all lengths of the sport, earning top honors at Pony Finals, Washington, Harrisburg, The National Horse Show, Devon, and Young Riders.

About Frank & Bonnie

Originally from Roscommon, Ireland, Frank has always had a passion for horses. He left his home country of Ireland in 1984 and became one of the first Irish horsemen to settle in the United States. He kept his horses at a farm in South Salem, New York, while training with Judy Richter, where he met his wife, Bonnie.

Bonnie grew up in New Canaan, Connecticut, not far from South Salem, and spent her early equestrian career in Wilton, Connecticut, when she began working and riding for Barbara Lindsey and Phil Ake. The pair married in 1992, and have two children, Ailish and Ned, who have both gone on to have eminent and successful riding careers of their own.

Both with an extensive background in the equestrian industry and zeal for horses, Frank and Bonnie have become a training team known to help horses and riders with the highest level of instruction.