In 1994, Jim FitzGerald established Knockgriffin Farm just outside Paris, Kentucky. Named for the Parish in Ireland in which his mother was raised, the original Knockgriffin Farm encompassed nearly 120 acres and offered FitzGerald a perfect introduction to operating his own full-service boarding farm.

As his client base grew, so did the demands on Knockgriffin. In 1997, FitzGerald purchased an additional 230 acres formerly owned by renowned horseman Arthur Hancock of Stone Farm. These very fields were home to such standout racehorses as SUNDAY SILENCE, GOODBYE HALO, RISEN STAR, CORPORATE REPORT, and others for Hancock. FitzGerald understood the importance of having the proper land to raise top bloodstock, and so he added an adjacent 50-acre parcel to this property in the summer of 2003.

FitzGerald sold the original portion of Knockgriffin in 2000 and focused on developing the old Stone Farm into one of the finest boarding farms in Kentucky. Among the improvements FitzGerald added were a walking machine, a Keeneland-style show ring, lunge pen, fence-row hedges to give added wind protection and paddock separation, numerous shade trees, yearling paddocks, staff housing, and a new office. These improvements were implemented with the design of giving horses a safe and comfortable education while preparing for sales.

In 2007, FitzGerald purchased 420 acres of prime land near Paris to better accommodate his growing clientele. This magnificent, newly developed property is within eight minutes of Knockgriffin Farm and is named Harpur's Island, in honor of FitzGerald's father's home place in Ireland. It is primarily used to house the broodmare band and is complete with three 20-stall barns and numerous paddocks and large, open fields.