Dear BES Members and Friends,

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2026 BES Activities at Manassas National Battlefield Park

The Battlefield Equestrian Society (BES) has launched a busy and productive year with a range of activities at Manassas National Battlefield Park. From workdays to rides and special events, BES is actively supporting the Park and fostering a strong partnership. Our dedicated volunteers are the backbone of these efforts—without their support, we would not be able to maintain and improve the equestrian trails for both the equestrian community and all Park visitors. We continually welcome new members and volunteers to join us in our mission.

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Trail Workdays and Volunteer Opportunities

Our trail workdays are underway with scheduled monthly workdays through November. These workdays are essential to ensuring the equestrian trails remain accessible in the Park. For 2026, special attention will be given to the Brawner Loop and Matthews Hill Loop, though we will also address other areas as needed. We invite you to consult our Calendar and Events page and consider joining us at one or more workdays. Our next workdays are planned for June 19th and 20th.

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Upcoming BES Rides and Events

BES rides are underway! The Bluebell Ride held on April 4th, offered a leisurely ride along Bull Run during the near-peak bloom. The Spring Judged Pleasure Ride (JPR) was held on April 26th. Congratulations to Champion Margery Schafer and Blacklord Coaltown and Reserve Champion Jesse Bowman and Lefty Bird.  Congratulations to everyone who came out and participated.  Our next scheduled ride is the Fall JPR on September 27th.  

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The week of May 11-15 was National Police Week in Washington, DC.  The Manassas Mounted Patrol Unit is a proud sponsor of the North American Police Equestrian Council.  The NAPEC brings mounted police units together during Police Week in DC to honor fallen officers and share training opportunities.  It’s a time for collaboration and learning new tactics in the mounted community.
For the past two years, Manassas has hosted up to 80 horses for a training session at the battlefield.  These sessions include a historical ride with Manassas Interpretation Rangers and specialty training such as search and rescue or equine therapy.  New this year, BES helped out with providing obstacle training. Several obstacles were setup for the training and competition.  This was well received by the mounted police units.  the Park thanked BES obstacle designers Nola "George" Jurich and Dewey Brown for their time and assistance in the training session.

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Summer Informational Rides

BES is in the process of planning several Informational rides for the summer. These rides are designed to help members become familiar with the trails in Manassas Battlefield Park. If you are interested or have specific topics you would like to learn about, please reach out to any BES Board member.

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​Support BES: Donations and Membership

The Battlefield Equestrian Society (BES) is a volunteer organization, and our continued work depends on both volunteer hours and donations. We are deeply grateful for all contributions. Now is a great time to support BES by donating or becoming a member. As a 501(c)(3) organization, all donations are tax-deductible, supporting our mission to promote and enhance equestrian activities at Manassas National Battlefield Park. To donate or join, please visit our website or contact Dewey Brown, BES President, at gohrsecrzy@aol.com or 540-272-6368.

 

Wishing you the very best all year long! See you on the trails!

Dewey Brown, BES President, on behalf of the BES Board