Rest In Peace Surf Queen, Wild Island Orchid, Firestar and CLG Wild Star....

I want to thank Darcy Cole and Steve Cole of DSC Photography for calling the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and 911 at the same time yesterday - each one called a number.  There were hiking on the north end of the island, looking for new foals.  To their horror, they spotted three mares stuck in quicksand.  One wasn't moving, but two were still feebly struggling.  The CVFC and Pony Committee members were there within 15 minutes. 
   Wild Island Orchid, a pale chestnut mare had already succumbed to the cold, wet muck and cold water.  Randy and Surf Queen were pulled from the quicksand, hauled into stock trailers, and taken to the Carnival Grounds.  The mares were suffering from hypothermia and dehydration.  They were covered with blankets and given intravenous fluids continuously.  Surf Queen, who had been the long-time lead mare for Surfer Dude passed away early this morning.  Randy has a cautiously optimistic outlook - if she can survive through tomorrow, and doesn't develop infections, she should be all right.
   Wild Island Orchid was buried on Assateague.  I'm not sure what will be done with Surf Queen.  I would assume she was buried today, also. 
   Firestar passed away on 19 February 2018 at a private home.  She had been a feral pony living on Assateague since 1992 and producing foals for the CVFC up until the fall of 2015.  She was born on the Maryland end of Assateague, sired by Saddleback and out of VIP.  She was donated by the National Park Service to the Virginia herd in 1994.  She was judged too frail to live in the wild at the Fall Round-Up in 2015 and was taken to a private farm, where she was fed grain and hay and was able to decide whether to stay under cover of a run-in or go out into the pasture.
   CLG Wild Star was an $11,000 buy back in 2015.  Her sire was Wild Thing, and her dam was Fire Star.  She was doing well with the other youngsters, but hasn't been seen in months, and was not found at this year's Spring Round-Up.  It is assumed she passed away during the winter months.
   Wild Island Orchid was also known as Naughty Lady.  She was foaled in 1994, and passed away on 29 April 2018.  She, Randy and Surf Queen became buddies over the past 18 to 20 months, and were often together while out of sight of their stallion, Hoppy (aka Effie's Papa Bear).  Orchid was with the stallion Witch Doctor for many years.  Two of her daughters, sired by Witch Doctor, are still on Assateague - Two Teagues Taco, a 2005 foal, and White Saddle, born in 2013.  Her last three foals were all fillies, and were sired by Hoppy.
   Surf Queen.  She was Surfer Dude's lead mare until his death in the winter of  2015.  She was born in 1997 and passed away today.  It is generally accepted that her sire was General Lee, and her dam was Virginia Belle.  After the Dude's passing, she wandered for a year before settling in with Hoppy.  She produce a gorgeous bay filly with him on 26 June last year, named Hoppy's Surfing Princess.  Three of her foals reside on Assateague, all sired by Surfer Dude:  her daughter, Surfin' Scarlett, born in 2000; her son, Surfer Dude's Riptide, born 2009; and her last Dude foal, Surfer Princess, born 2015.