CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. - The annual Pony Auction will take place on July 25 at 8 a.m. on the Carnival Grounds.
The Auction began in 1925 when the town allowed the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company to hold a carnival after a series of fires took a toll on their equipment. Over 15 colts were sold and the carnival became a success.
On Assateague Island, about 60 foals are born each year. The auction helps control the size of the herd. The auction also uses some proceeds towards the Chincoteague Fire Company to provide veterinary care for the ponies.
In addition, the proceeds of one foal go towards a regional charity. Past recipients are Wounded Warriors, Palliative Care of the Eastern Shore and Alzheimer’s Adult Care. According to Captain Hunter Leonard, this year's proceeds will go towards the Sons of the American Legion.
The Feather Fund helps children purchase the Assateague ponies at the auction. The fund was created to honor the memory of Carollynn Suplee, a woman who helped children buy ponies until her passing in 2003. This year the Feather Fund recipients are Aurora Menges from New York and Hope Leininger of Illinois.
A few of the foals selected for the auction are considered "buybacks." A buyback pony is auctioned, donated to the fire company and returned to Assateague Island.
In 2021, 75 ponies were sold and the cost of the ponies ranged from $3,000 to $16,000, with the buyback ponies leading towards higher bids.
This year, there are expected to be 90 ponies sold for the auction. For more information about the auction and the pony swim, visit chincoteaguechamber.com.