BY STEFANIE JACKSON AND JANET BERNOSKY, Eastern Shore Post —
A new record of $547,300 was raised on Thursday, July 25, at the annual pony auction that benefits the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.
In all, 88 ponies were sold at the auction, part of the 99th annual Chincoteague Pony Penning.
This year, a record 93 foals were born to the herd, owned and maintained by the fire company. A total of 7 buybacks were chosen to be donated back to the herd.
A new buyback record was set when the Buyback Friends of the Wild Chincoteague Ponies, organized by Darcy Cole, won the bid at $50,000 on #11, the late Wildfire’s filly with Riptide.
Wildfire was a Misty descendant and Riptide is the son of the legendary Surfer Dude.
The lowest buyback purchase of the day was $15,000 for a chestnut pinto filly by an internet buyer.
The highest winning bid of the day for a take-home foal was $8,000, a bay pinto colt.
The lowest was $1,600 paid for #4, a pinto colt whose new home will be in Augusta, Ga.
Chincoteague Island welcomed visitors on Wednesday, July 24, who traveled from near and far — and waited until well past noon — to watch the wild ponies make the 99th annual swim across the channel from their Assateague Island home.
“I think it’s been 15 or 20 years since I’ve said, ‘Good afternoon, Chincoteague,’ at a pony swim,” said Denise Bowden, Chincoteague Fire Company public relations officer and event emcee.
Chincoteague’s annual pony swim is typically held in the morning, but this year, spectators had to wait a bit longer than usual for slack tide, which allows the ponies to venture safely across the channel.
Some children passed the time by wading through the marsh waters.
“Mud washes off, but these memories will last forever,” Bowden said.
About 200 Chincoteague ponies swam the channel, including around 135 adult ponies and 70 foals.
The ponies entered the water at 12:49 p.m. and completed the channel crossing in 5 minutes, 22 seconds.
