The  Ponies of Chincoteague and Pony Penning

Click on the year below for Pony Penning  Pictures

Solid Rock Photography

Chincoteague Pony Centre

Two herds of wild horses make their home on Assateague Island, separated by a fence at the Maryland-Virginia line, and they are often seen wandering the beaches, roadways, trails and campgrounds on the island. These small but sturdy, shaggy horses have adapted to their environment over the years by eating dune and marsh grasses and drinking fresh water from ponds. While they appear tame, they are wild, and Park Rangers urge visitors not to feed or pet them. The Maryland herd is managed by the National Park Service. The Virginia herd is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and allowed by permit to graze on the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Each year the Virginia herd is rounded up for the internationally recognized Pony Penning and Auction.

According to romantic legend, the horses arrived on Assateague when a Spanish galleon with a cargo of wild mustangs sunk off the coast. The surviving animals swam to shore and are the ancestors of today's herds. Unfortunately, the horses (affectionately called ponies because of their slightly stunted size) have a more practical origin. Most likely they are descendants of herds turned loose by early settlers. The island provided a perfect grazing land with naturally "fenced" boundaries. By the late 1600's the island supported horses, cattle, sheep and hogs.

Penning began as a way for livestock owners to claim, brand, break and harness their loose herds. By the 1700's it had become an annual event, complete with drinking, eating and plenty of revelry by the entire community. The earliest known description of Pony Penning was published in 1835. The practice was then already an "ancient" custom held in June on Assateague Island. Penning on Chincoteague Island is not mentioned until the mid-1800's, and it believed to have been begun by two islanders who owned large herds that grazed on Chincoteague.

The penning continued on both islands for years. By 1885 they were held on Assateague one day and Chincoteague the next. Assateague also had a Sheep Penning, which is believed to be a custom even older than the others. Word of the events began to spread, and hotels and boarding houses were booked for the festivities. In 1909, the last Wednesday and Thursday of July were set as the official dates for the yearly events. As Pony Penning increased in popularity, Assateague's Sheep Penning wound down and was discontinued by 1914.

The most renowned aspect of Pony Penning, the swim across the Assateague Channel, dates from the early 1920's. Samuel Fields acquired much of the southern end of Assateague and restricted the villagers' access to oyster-rich Tom's Cove, causing most of the villagers to move to Chincoteague. The restrictions also affected the island's penning. In 1923 the event also moved to Chincoteague with one penning for both islands. The herds were at first transferred by boat, but in 1925 they were swum across the channel and Pony Penning's "modern" era began.

After a string of disastrous fires in the Town of Chincoteague, the villagers realized their fire fighting equipment was seriously inadequate. In 1925 the town authorized the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company to hold a carnival during Pony Penning to raise funds. That year over 15 colts were sold to benefit the fire company, and the carnival was a huge success. Bolstered by the interest in the pony swim, visitors began arriving from across the country for the annual penning. The crowd in 1937 was estimated at 25,000. The increased revenue from the carnivals and auctions enabled the fire company to modernize its equipment and facilities, and in 1947 it began to build its own herd by purchasing ponies from local owners. They moved the herd to Assateague where the government allowed publicly owned, not private, herds to graze on the newly established Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.

That same year, 1947, Marguerite Henry published "Misty of Chincoteague," the story that made Pony Penning internationally famous. A movie followed, as did several sequel books. The tale of the wild pony Phantom, her foal Misty and the children who buy and raise her has become a classic, still loved and enjoyed by each new generation.

 Pony Penning is still held in July during the Chincoteague Volunteer Firemen's Carnival. "Salt Water Cowboys" herd the horses across the narrowest part of Assateague Channel at low tide, after which they are examined by veterinarians. After a resting period, they are herded through town to a corral at the Carnival Grounds where they stay until the next day's auction. The Pony Auction not only provides a source of revenue for the fire company, but it also serves to trim the herd's numbers. To retain the permit to graze on the refuge, the herd must not exceed 150 horses.

Each year thousands of people flock to Chincoteague Island to watch the Pony Penning and enjoy the Firemen's Carnival. For many of them, the trek to the shores of Assateague Channel on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July has become an annual event, an opportunity to participate in a tradition older than the country itself.

---

The Feather Fund is a non-profit organization whose mission is to continue the work begun by Carollynn Suplee to assist deserving children with the purchase and attendant costs associated with the acquisition of Chincoteague ponies, with the goal of helping each child learn about responsibility, care, love, work ethic, as well as the concept of "giving back to others" through the care and training of his or her animal. Additionally, the fund may provide financial support to related causes as determined by the advisory committee.

The 2007 Pony Swim and Auction will take place on July 25 & 26

82nd Annual Volunteer Fireman’s Carnival – June 29-30, July 4-7, 13-14, 20-21, 23-28, 2007
Rides, food, fun!!! Carnival leads up to the world famous Pony Swim & Auction. (NO SUNDAYS)

Old-fashioned Fireworks Display at Carnival Grounds – July 4, 10:00 p.m.

July 14, 2007
2nd Saturday Art Stroll
Participating Chincoteague Island galleries and shops are open from 6  to 10 p.m. with special events including art and craft demonstrations, exhibits, readings and book signings,
live music, wine tastings.....and the unexpected.

July 22, 2007
Chincoteague Community Center
Wild Wild West Show

July 25 & 26, 2007
82nd Annual Pony Swim & Auction
Sponsored by the Chincoteague Vol. Fire Co. The Swim & Auction are always held on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July.
For more information call (757)-336-6161.

Up-dated Time of Pony Swim to be Announced
Wednesday, July 25th
Between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. (the time can not be predicted exactly - depending on tide, currents, and readiness of ponies) ponies swim Assateague Channel at Chincoteague
Memorial Park - east side of island. No charge by Fire Co. for parking (at High School - see below) or seeing ponies swim. After a brief rest, ponies are herded to Carnival Grounds.

Things to take for the swim: old clothes (marsh mud!),  insect spray, water (it gets hot out there), old shoes (mud and shells), hat, munchies.
Food and drink is available at the park. Be sure to get there early (people start arriving at 4:30AM) Click here for a map of the swim and shuttle.
Parking is available by the swim, but get there early.

11:00 a.m. - Dinner served in the dining room on Carnival Grounds by the Ladies Auxiliary of Fire Co. Viewing of ponies in corral and carnival attractions. The first colt to come ashore in the pony swim (King or Queen Neptune) will be given away at the carnival grounds. Time to be announced. You must be present to win.
6:30 p.m. - Entertainment on stage.
7:00 p.m. - Carnival attractions.
11:00 p.m. - Entertainment on stage or free cash drawing at the closing of carnival. You must be present to win.

Thursday, July 26th - Pony Penning, Auction of Ponies
8:00 a.m. to 12 noon - Auction of Ponies. The ponies, owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Co., will be sold only on this day.
11:00 a.m. - Dinner served by the Ladies Auxiliary in the dining room on Carnival Grounds. Carnival attractions.
7:00 p.m. - Carnival attractions.
11:00 p.m. - Entertainment on stage or free cash drawing at the closing of carnival. You must be present to win.
Extend your trip to Friday. Swimming back to Assateague. Time to be announced.

Friday, July 27th
Ponies return to Assateague - Time to Be Announced
7:00 p.m. - Carnival attractions.
11:30 p.m. - Entertainment on stage or free cash drawing at the closing of carnival. You must be present to win.

Saturday, July 28th
7:00 p.m. - Carnival opens - carnival attractions.
11:30 p.m. - Entertainment on stage or free cash drawing at the closing of carnival. You must be present to win.
At the closing of the Carnival
1st Drawing - $1,000.00 cash drawing
2nd Drawing - Handmade Chincoteague pony quilt.
3rd Drawing - Boat, motor, and trailer.

Separate tickets required for each drawing. You do not have to be present to win.

Pony Penning Shuttle
Click here for a map of the shuttle (Opens in new browser window)

The Town of Chincoteague will be operating a free-of-charge shuttle service for people wishing to participate in pony penning. School buses will be used to provide this service. The shuttle service will only operate on Wednesday from approximately 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The major pick-up point for day visitors will be at the Chincoteague High School as well as several locations throughout the island for overnight visitors. A pony swim shuttle sign will be posted at these stops.  Passengers will be shuttled to Memorial Park to view the swim. There will be no parking available at Memorial Park. Parking is available around the park and the swim area for a fee (usually 5 to 10 dollars). They start parking at around 6 AM.

To get to the Chincoteague High School, turn left from the bridge and follow Main Street to the high school - on the right about one mile. See also the map below.

After the swim, passengers will be shuttled to either the Carnival Grounds or their original pickup point. The time of the shuttle runs will vary according to traffic conditions.

For more information please check the Chamber page  or the  The Beacon page

Auction Information
Eighty five ponies were auctioned off Thursday, July 27th ,2001. the average selling price was about $2000. One horse went for $10,500. The Chincoteague Fire Department made more than $166,000 from the auction. The auction helps keep the herd size to about 150 horses. That is the maximum number that the government says can be supported on the grazing lands in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague. Click here for Auction pictures

.  The auction starts at 8:00AM sharp, get there early to get a good seat (6:30 to7:00AM).
   Be sure to bring sun protection and water, soda and water is sold at the event. A folding chair is good to have if you get there late.
   There is no registration for the auction, so be sure not to accidentally make a bid,  if you do you will have to find a way to get your horse home in an approved horse trailer and you have to pay by cash, Visa or Mastercard.

Back to the Chincoteague Homepage