Welcome to the Friends of Denise Endurance Ride
~ Hosted by GDETF
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Thank You for an Incredible Inaugural Friends of Denise Ride!
The first Friends of Denise Endurance Ride is officially in the books, and we could not be more grateful to everyone who helped make it such a special event.
Created in memory of our friend and longtime member of our local endurance community, Denise Fissel, the ride brought together endurance riders, volunteers, veterinarians, sponsors, friends, and members of our equestrian community at Dru Barner Equestrian Park for a weekend that celebrated the trails, horses, friendships, and spirit of service that meant so much to Denise.
A Ride With a Lasting Impact
The Friends of Denise Ride was created to honor a special member of our community, but its impact reaches beyond a single weekend.
As a ride hosted by GDETF, the event provides additional resources that allow us to continue investing in the trails, campground, equestrian facilities, and improvement projects our organization supports. Funds raised through events like Friends of Denise help give GDETF the ability to take on needed maintenance and improvements, respond when repairs arise, and continue looking for new ways to support and enhance the places our equestrian community depends on.
That means every entry, sponsorship, donation, and volunteer hour invested in this event contributes to something lasting: better trails, better facilities, and more opportunities for horses and riders to enjoy them for years to come.
We can think of few better ways to honor Denise than by bringing people together on horseback while helping care for the trails and equestrian spaces that bring this community together.
It Took a Village
Putting on an endurance ride is no small undertaking. Months of planning, trail work, mapping, marking, water placement, communications, veterinary coordination, meals, registration, timing, awards, camp preparation, and countless other details went into making the weekend possible.
Our volunteers stepped up in an extraordinary way, and we cannot thank them enough. From the people working behind the scenes months before the first horse arrived to those who spent long hours supporting riders and horses on ride day, this event happened because of you.
Thanks to YOU, riders
We are equally grateful to the sponsors, donors, veterinarians, organizations, and community partners who contributed their time, services, products, financial support, and expertise.
And, of course, thank you to every rider who trusted us with your ride. Your encouragement, patience, sportsmanship, and overwhelmingly positive feedback meant more to our team than you probably know.
The inaugural Friends of Denise Ride gave us plenty to be proud of, plenty to learn from, and a wonderful foundation to build upon. Most importantly, it gave us an opportunity to celebrate Denise’s legacy in a way that continues giving back to the trails and community she loved.
Friends of Denise Ride Photo Gallery
Take a look back at some of the people, horses, trails, and moments that made our inaugural ride so memorable.
View the Friends of Denise Ride photo gallery (coming soon!)
Thank you again for being part of the very first Friends of Denise Ride. We are honored to have shared it with you, and grateful for the lasting impact your support will help us make.