A little more than one hundred years ago, Industrial Barons began looking for a warmer “Winter Place” to enjoy their new found wealth and to pursue some of the many facets of the Sport of Kings -- racing, foxhunting, carriage driving, playing polo on fine horses.  Lovely Aiken, South Carolina was chosen as their new “Winter Place.”  The new “Winter Colony” spared no expense – they spent millions building beautiful houses, many designed by Willis Irvin, buying land and preserving thousands of acres of tall pine forests, planting live oaks that are huge today, creating exquisite walled gardens, also building everything for their fine horses and demanding elegant and famous visitors to come and enjoy the charming & now, vibrant Old Town. Over one hundred years have passed and Aiken has a treasured legacy - all because it was a perfect “Winter Place” for fine horses and their lavish owners and thus Aiken began to be called the “Town the Horses Built."

Fox Hunting began in Aiken in the early 1900s and has always been an important part of equestrian sporting culture here. The mild weather and sandy soil footing allow for hunting with few interruptions throughout the winter season. As the weather turns cold and the ground starts to freeze in this nation's northern hunt country, horsemen begin arriving in the Aiken area. There are five active hunts in the area that welcome visitors and invited guests to participate, including the Aiken Hounds, Why Worry Hounds, the Whiskey Road Fox Hounds, Edisto River Hounds, and nearby Belle Meade Hunt in Georgia. The informal season usually begins in October with formal opening meets in mid to late November.

The Aiken Hounds hunt in the beautiful Hitchcock Woods, and were established in 1914 by Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Hitchcock. The Aiken Hounds' Opening Meet and Blessing of the Hounds is held on Thanksgiving Day at Memorial Gate in the Hitchcock Woods. During the regular hunt season, the Aiken Hounds meet on Tuesdays at 2:00 pm and on Saturdays at 9:00 am.

Why Worry is a very relaxed hunt with an open, friendly atmosphere. Founded in 1996 and recognized in 2003, the Why Worry Hounds hunt country consists of the beautiful sand hills in Aiken, Edgefield and Allendale counties in South Carolina, as well as some lovely property in Burke County, Georgia. Why Worry Hounds welcomes visitors, and, as they say, "Every day hunting is a good day -- why worry?"

The Whiskey Road Fox Hounds were established in 1976, and recognized by the Masters of Foxhounds Association in 1979. The formal season begins with their opening meet in November, with cubhunting in October. Hounds go out twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, through mid-March. The pack is kennelled near the Vale of Montmorenci in Aiken County, and the Whiskey Road Fox Hounds regularly hunt large tracts of land in Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Lexington, Saluda and Hampton counties.

And so we invite you to come with your fine horses and enjoy the some mild climate, good footing and southern charm that have enticed equestrians then and now.

Polo has played an integral role in the history of Aiken, South Carolina, from the 1800s, when Aiken was famous for its "Winter Colony" of wealthy easterners, to the 1960s when Aiken was hailed as the "Polo Center of the South." Today, polo is still played at Whitney Field, the site of the longest consecutive period of play on one field in the United States. More than a dozen members of the national  Polo Hall of Fame hail from Aiken, and the sport's revival has seen the development of many substantial polo farms, over 40 polo fields, and six polo clubs in the Aiken area.

New Bridge Polo & Country Club hosted the USPA Gold Cup in 2004 and 2005. In 2006 and again in 2007 New Bridge Polo was selected to host the prestigious Aiken Gold Cup, the third leg of the Triple Crown of Polo. The 2007 finals were televised on ESPN.

Other active polo clubs in the Aiken area include the Aiken Polo Club, which celebrated 125 years of continuous play on Aiken's historic downtown Whitney Field last year. The Langdon Road Polo Club boasts "Florida-level" polo with high-goal tournament play. Farmer Road Polo Club and 302 Polo Club also have full schedules of tournaments.

Today, the Aiken Polo community is unique and unrivaled in talent and opportunity. There are more than 70 polo professionals who make their homes in Aiken. With its infrastructure, which began over 100 years ago, Aiken can easily meet the polo enthusiast's needs. No other community can come close to the quality of the horse experience you will find in Aiken.

The Aiken Steeplechase Association was founded in Aiken in 1930 by several influential horseman among these were Thomas Hitchcock, Temple Gwathmey and Harry Worcester Smith. The first official race was run in Hitchcock Woods (a beneficiary of the Aiken Steeplechase Association) along the Aiken Hounds draglines. Over a thousand people gathered to watch, some from as far away as Camden. To keep them company, several hundred children from Aiken Preparatory School and Fermata School were mounted on their ponies for a better chance at viewing the sport. Aiken has been home to many steeplechase greats and to many exceptional trainers: Thomas Hitchcock, the dean of American Steeplechasing and Ambrose Clark, one of the sport's greatest players, to name a few. Many other people have the passion for the sport and it is to their credit that the sport in Aiken was renewed in 1967 after a twenty-five year hiatus due to war and civic development. The past efforts of Charlie S. Bird, III, G.H. Bostwick, MacKenzie Miller, Willard Thompson, Ford Conger, and Paul Mellon revived the tradition of steeplechasing in Aiken and have left a legacy that the Association now calls upon again to secure the future of the sport. It is the goal of the Aiken Steeplechase Association to continue this legacy started by these sporting gentlemen. For more information please visit www.aikensteeplechase.com.

The Aiken Training Track was established in 1941. The mile track has a base of red clay with a sandy loam cushion and excellent drainage. Nearby there is a 5/8ths sand track, grass fields and miles of wooded trails for relaxing rides. The environment is one of tranquility -- perfect for the young yearlings who come to Aiken for their early education, and also wonderful for the older, seasoned runners who need a break from the track.

The name Aiken is synonymous with the thoroughbred racehorse. Forty champions have been developed here, and their history can be explored by visiting Aiken's Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame. Some of the most prestigious outfits in American racing are fixtures at the Aiken Training Track – either seasonally or year round. These include Dogwood Stable, Stonerside Stable, Chime Bell Farm, H'n'D Stables, and Legacy Stable, as well as countless independent owners and trainers.