In 1929, a small group of affluent foxhunters and equine enthusiasts purchased six hundred and thirty four acres of land, initiating the Southern Grassland Hunt and Racing Foundation in Gallatin, Tennessee. This opened the way for a racecourse patterned after the famous Aintree of England. Grasslands, a private foxhunt park and equestrian center, was the site of the first International Steeplechase held in the United States.