A Living Memorial
The Mogadishu Mile Kentucky is an annual military fitness competition and tribute event held at Queenslake Horse Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky. Since 2020, we have gathered each October to honor the 19 soldiers who gave their lives during the Battle of Mogadishu, Somalia, on October 3–4, 1993.
This is not a race. It is a reckoning. Participants carry the weight — literally — of ammo cans, American flags, and replica M16s through a course that winds past 19 permanent memorial stations, each bearing the name, face, and story of a fallen hero.
The 6th Annual event on October 3, 2026 marks a milestone year. For the first time, the competition will be followed by a full-day Music Festival — a patriotic celebration of community, sacrifice, and freedom from noon until dusk.
Queenslake Horse Farm
Rolling Kentucky bluegrass, ancient woods, and a stunning lake — a natural amphitheater for remembrance.
Steel memorial stations deep in the Queenslake woods, each surrounded by florals, standing year-round.
Since 2020, Queenslake has opened its gates every October to ensure the 19 heroes are never forgotten.
Queenslake Horse Farm
292 Soards Road
Georgetown, Kentucky 40324
Located in the heart of the Kentucky Bluegrass, just minutes from Georgetown and easily accessible from Lexington and Louisville.
Free on-site parking is available for all participants and spectators. The farm is ADA accessible for those who need accommodations.
Gates open at 7:00 AM. Opening ceremony begins promptly at 8:00 AM.
The Chmela Family & Queenslake Veterans Initiative
Bill Chmela — "Bucklemeal"
Every great mission begins with a person who lived it first. For the Chmela family, that person is Bill Chmela — 91 years old, United States Air Force veteran (1956–1960), and the patriarch whose life set the compass for everything that follows at Queenslake.
Bill has carried his service not as a credential but as a calling — a lifelong commitment to God, Country, Family, and Community that has shaped three generations. It is his example that gave the Chmela family its north star: that we owe something to those who served, that gratitude is not a feeling but an action, and that the greatest honor you can give a veteran is to make sure they are never forgotten.
Every October, when the farm fills with soldiers, Gold Star families, and supporters from across the country, Bill lights up. He calls them the greatest people in this country — and he means every word.
John, Claire, Hunter & Aspen
John Chmela founded the Mogadishu Mile Kentucky in 2020, but the story behind it is a family story. John, his wife Claire, and their daughters Hunter and Aspen live on the farm with Grandpa Bill — 140 acres of Kentucky bluegrass that, as John puts it, is far too expansive for one family to enjoy alone. So they obey the calling to share it.
Queenslake opens its gates multiple times every year — not just for the Mogadishu Mile, but for a wide circle of causes and communities: The Amen House, the Scott County Humane Society, the Scott County Fire Department, The Women's Guild, the Bluegrass Theatre Guild, Adventure Theater, family reunions, retreats, cast parties, weddings, and gatherings of friends and neighbors from across the region.
The farm is not just a venue. It is a living expression of what the Chmela family believes — that land, like service, is meant to be given back.
Hunter & Aspen
Perhaps the most meaningful thing that happens at Queenslake every year is the least visible. Hunter and Aspen find themselves in conversation with everyday veterans and decorated combat heroes who have seen things most people only read about. These men and women share the values that carried them through — duty, sacrifice, resilience, and an unshakeable love of country — and those values take root in the next generation in ways no classroom can replicate. For the Chmela daughters, the Mogadishu Mile is not just an event on the calendar. It is an education in what it means to be American.
The Queenslake Veterans Initiative
The Mogadishu Mile is the flagship event of a broader mission. Queenslake Horse Farm is home to a growing portfolio of veteran advocacy programs — from equine therapy to scholarship funds to community outreach.
Horses have a unique ability to heal. Our equine therapy program connects veterans with our Friesian horses for therapeutic horsemanship sessions.
Supporting the educational goals of veterans and their families through annual scholarship awards.
Providing support, community, and recognition to the families of fallen service members throughout Kentucky.
Year-round fitness events that build community while raising funds for veteran causes.
Bringing veterans' stories to schools, businesses, and community organizations across the region.
Connecting local businesses with the opportunity to sponsor a memorial station or event element in honor of a specific fallen hero.