July/August 2025 Issue

Page 28 July/August 2025 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN A Century in the Making: 100th Anniversary of Pony Penning Lois Szymanski When Virginia’s Chincoteague Ponies cross the Assateague Channel on Wednesday, July 30th it will mark the 100th anniversary of Pony Penning. Crowds from around the world will gather to watch it happen. The annual event began in 1925 after devastating fires destroyed the town of Chincoteague. Realizing a bucket brigade would not keep them safe, 25 men came together to organize the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. Their goal was to purchase a 750-gallon pumper truck. To raise funds, the fire company held a carnival that year with a Pony Penning Day. On that day, saltwater cowboys rounded up the wild ponies of Assateague Island, swam them across the Chincoteague Bay and auctioned off the foals. Proceeds helped them purchase fire equipment. When this event was featured in Marguerite Henry’s award- winning children's novel, “Misty of Chincoteague” in 1946 visitors began pouring in from across the nation, even the world. The event now draws 45,000 people on swim day. Those who come to Pony Penning can expect a full of pony activities daily. The carnival runs at the fairgrounds every night of the week except Sunday, with bingo, good food and entertainment nightly. According to Chincoteague mayor, Denise Bowden – a 33- year fire company volunteer - the carnival actually starts the last weekend in June and runs every weekend in July, so people unable to attend Pony Penning can still enjoy the carnival. On two Saturdays (July 5 and 19) the Chincoteague Pony Drill Team will perform at 6:30 p.m. inside the corral behind the carnival grounds. The world is changing, and not always for the good. Sadly, this has affected Pony Penning, too. In the spring, Chincoteague received news of a threat from abroad. Bowden explained more. “Our police dept was notified by someone in the federal government and it was brought to our attention,” she said. “We learned we’re on a list of possible credible targets for the summer. We’re not taking any chances and we will be heavily protected. There will be bag checks at the pony swim this year. You might be checked getting on a bus, at Memorial Park, and at Pony Swim Lane. There might be some road closures, (but not for the fire company) and clear bags are required at pony swim.” Bowden s a i d t h i s ye a r, attendees should be prepared to have their bags checked at any pony activity. “Just know that we are not going to let this threat steal our joy or dampen our spirits,” she said. “We are open for business and we’re putting our blood, sweat and tears into making our 100th Anniversary Pony Penning a wonderful event for anyone who wants to come to enjoy it.” At the first pony event of the week visitors will see the south bands streaming into the Beach Road pens on Assateague Island. They’ll be rounded up by the saltwater cowboys on Saturday evening, July 26, beginning at 7 a.m. The ponies come into the pens one band at a time, each group of mares and foals under the watchful eye of its leader stallion. On Sunday morning, roundup of the north bands takes place. This requires a 3-mile hike up the north service road to watch, or visitors can book a boat to observe the ponies from the water. Don’t worry if you miss north roundup. Another chance to see the north bands happens on Monday morning, when Beach Walk unfolds. This is when the cowboys bring the north bands down the beach against the backdrop of a rising sun. Sparkling ocean waves crash against the shore as foals dart away from their mothers and stallions nip their mares to keep them together. Saltwater cowboys and cowgirls surround the bands, while orange cones with ropes section off the area for viewing. When they reach Beach Road, the ponies are herded across the parking lot, down Beach Road and into the pens to join the south bands. Standing at the pens, visitors will see all the island ponies together, a kaleidoscope of manes and tails From the cover Pony Penning began as a way for livestock owners to claim, brand, break and harness their loose herds. EarlyPonyPenningswerenotheldonChincoteague Island. They were held on the beaches ofAssateague, and also on the beaches of Wallops Island. Early Pony Pennings also included sheep that ran wild after being released by farmers to graze on the islands. Ponies sold at those first Pony Pennings were NOT auctioned. They were sold for set prices, usually $10 to $25. The first auction of ponies at Pony Penning began in the early 1950s after a big debate by the fire company, who worried an auction would bring LESS money. Imagine what the firemen of yesteryear would think today, seeing some take-home ponies selling for over $10,000! The crowd at the 1937 pony swim was estimated at 25,000. Today, it is estimated at over 50,000. Chincoteague Ponies once matured out to 12 to 13 hands in height. The addition of Mustang and Arabian blood over the years has increased their size and made for a more refined equine. Today, many mature Chincoteague Ponies will reach 14 to 14.2 hands and some will reach 15 hands at full maturity. A recent study from the Florida Museum of Natural History backs this legend. The closest relative to DNAharvested from a tooth discovered at Puerto Real (a 1500s Spanish colony on the island of Hispaniola) was found to be the Chincoteague Ponies! A Mare Named Blue Moon Comes Ashore At 2024 Pony Swim (Continued on page 29)