Chincoteague Island - 2025 Visitor's Guide
THE WILD CHINCOTEAGUE PONIES
2024-12-21 11:27:40
THE CHINCOTEAGUE PONY IS NOW THE OFFICIAL STATE PONY OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA!
HOW DID THE PONIES GET HERE?
One legend has it that they swam ashore from shipwrecked Spanish galleons such as the La Galga that ran ashore on Assateague Island in 1750 with Spanish Mustangs on board. Others believe their origins date back to the 17th century, when local farmers used Assateague Island as a natural corral for their animals. Whatever their origins, the wild ponies are very well adapted to their natural environment. The current herds are owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and are allowed to graze on Assateague Island by a special permit from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
It isn’t every day that one can witness a wild herd of ponies rounded up, swam across a narrow channel, herded through the quaint, narrow streets of an island town and auctioned to the highest bidder.
For a century, rain or shine, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company has been doing just that, to the delight of visitors from around the world. Pony Swim is a unique event like no other and is held at “slack tide” on the last Wednesday before the last Thursday of every July. Chincoteague “Saltwater Cowboys” herd about 200 ponies from Assateague Island, Virginia, across the Assateague Channel to neighboring Chincoteague Island.
After the swim, the ponies are rested and then paraded through town to the Carnival Grounds. Anywhere along the route is a great place to see the ponies if you can’t make the swim. The auction takes place the following morning. Pony Penning concludes on Friday when the Southern Herd adult ponies swim back to Assateague Island, Virginia, to their home in the wild ... until next year.
HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?
The creation of this world-renowned event began with two fires which occurred at opposite sides of town in the 1920s that burned out of control due to the lack of effective firefighting equipment. Chincoteaguers were determined to never let this happen again. A small group of men organized themselves as the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. To raise money for the needed firefighting equipment, it was suggested to auction the wild ponies that grazed on adjoining Assateague Island, Virginia. Pony Penning Day was born in July 1925, with an estimated 15,000 spectators in attendance. With the funds raised, the fire company was able to purchase a 750-gallon American La France pumper with 2,000 feet of hose.
To learn more about Pony Penning or to view shuttle bus information, pony parade map, and valuable helpful hints, visit ChincoteagueChamber.com/Pony-Event-Schedule
Explore special centennial events & activities at ChincoteagueChamber.com/Events
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