CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. - In Richmond, Va. on Monday, the Virginia General Assembly ponied up some recognition for what some folks feel is a forgotten corner of the Commonwealth.
"People definitely forget about the Eastern Shore being even part of Virginia," said Scott Landolt, a Chincoteague business owner. "You know, once you're across that bay, they think, 'Oh, it's Maryland', you know."
On the Assembly's agenda this week is House Bill 1951. The bill, also called HB 1951, would amend the Code of Virginia to designate the Chincoteague Pony an official symbol of the Commonwealth.
Neighbors and businesses in the ponies' namesake town were pleased when they heard about the legislation.
"They've been a part of Virginia's history, and it's definitely going to draw some tourism to the area," said Timothy Johnson, who works in Chincoteague's tourism and visitor industry. "It's going to bring in a new demographic that we haven't been able to reach."
"We take good care of them here on Chincoteague, so it's really nice that they're going to be even better known, more widely known," said Theresa Petroni-Conaway, of Chincoteague.
The idea for designating an official pony has genuine grass-roots origins. It came from a participant in last year's Virginia Model General Assembly.
"That was a bill that she has formulated and so it caught the eye of a state delegate and a state senator," said Hunter Leonard of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. The Chincoteague VFC is the primary caretaker of the Chincoteague ponies, and proceeds from the annual Pony Swim and Auction help the fire department recruit and train volunteers, and keep their equipment maintained and up-to-date.
While neighbors in Chincoteague expect this legislation to be a boon for the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Scott Landolt thinks other parts of Delmarva could also benefit.
"There's also the Maryland section, too, and while they're not Chincoteague ponies, they're Assateague ponies up there, it might help drive a few people up that way too," Landolt said. "It's all part of helping the Shore and that's important."
HB 1951 passed the Virginia House of Delegates 93-7 on Monday, and has a few more legislative hurdles to overcome before arriving on Governor Glenn Youngkin's desk.