In the Hamptons each summer, horses and riding enjoy unprecedented popularity. Since the revival in 1971 of the Southampton Horse Show, and the growth of its successor, the Hampton Classic, the area has seen the return of an equestrian tradition dating back to the turn of the century.

When first organized in the early 1900s, the annual Horse Show in Southampton took place on the sprawling open fields overlooking Lake Agawam. With the outbreak of the First World War the show was discontinued, to be revived again with the advent of the Roaring Twenties. During the next decade, riding and the Horse Show flourished in the Hamptons; with a group of enthusiasts forming the Southampton Riding and Hunt Club in 1922. Construction of the Club began that year on 20 acres of land on the outskirts of town. The stables and other buildings were made with the finest of materials, and were finally completed after six years. When it opened in 1928, the Club was a showpiece for the entire eastern seaboard.