Use of the Brandy Station battlefield

Toni Sheads
Published: March 26, 2008

An open letter to the Board of Supervisors: I want to provide you with some information regarding equestrian use at the Brandy Station battlefield.

I am a resident of Culpeper County and a frequent equestrian trail rider. Brandy Station battlefield is not a Virginia state park, or a national park. It is privately owned by a nonprofit organization called the Civil War Preservation Trust.

As hunting season approached last fall, I started looking for new places to ride.

I thought perhaps the Brandy Station battlefield would be a safe place to ride my mule during hunting season. Let me share with you what I had to go through to get permission to do that.

First, I contacted the BSF.  Bob Luddy, president of BSF, informed me that I would have to speak with Steve Wyngarden of the CWPT in Washington, D.C. Mr. Wyngarden told me that the Brandy Station battlefield is owned by the CWPT and it is not open to the general public for equestrian use.

Equestrian use can be arranged through Mr. Wyngarden by special permit. After lengthy discussion with him about why I wanted to ride at the battlefield, he agreed to give me permission to ride occasionally there.

However, in order to ride, I had to sign an agreement with 11 requirements, all of which are reasonable.

In addition to signing the agreement, I was provided with the name and phone number of the local caretaker of the battlefield and the name and phone number of the gentleman who does the haymaking.

It was my responsibility to contact each of these men to coordinate my horseback riding with them to avoid conflict and risk. Each man also gave me instructions to follow.

The haymaker doesn't want me riding in any of the newly planted fields; I am only allowed to ride on the edges of fields, and I am requested not to ride after heavy rains.

The local caretaker informed me that controlled hunting takes place on the property. During hunting season, I could only ride on Sundays.

Don't get me wrong. I am happy to have permission to ride at the Brandy Station Battlefield and I can easily abide by all the stipulations which have been set forth. However, the agreement is only good for me and no more than five guests, occasionally. 

I recently wrote a letter to the editor of the Star-Exponent about equestrian trails at the Brandy Station battlefield. I believe strongly that the battlefield would be an excellent place for public equestrian trails.

In order for that to happen, the Board of Supervisors, the Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation and local horse clubs such as the Culpeper Horse Owners Association would have to approach the CWPT about establishing and maintaining public use equestrian trails on the battlefield.

As Culpeper County plans to incorporate equestrian trails into its comprehensive plan, now would be a good time to include the Brandy Station battlefield into the Culpeper Heritage Horse Trail.

I am just a local resident who would like to spend my equestrian money in Culpeper County instead of driving to other localities to utilize their trail systems.