Foal 59 Arrived the Morning of 30 June

Back in 2014, after Pony Penning, a woman started thinking about the high prices of the Buy Back ponies at the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company's Pony Auction.  "Buy Backs" are ponies that the Fire Company veteran cowboys and members of the Pony Committee, as well as the CVFC veterinarians, recommend as foals that should be kept on the islands for breeding stock in coming years.  These ponies are chosen for their bloodlines, their conformation, and their coat colors; all three are considered.  The other item looked at is how many stallions and mares are on the island, their ages, and any losses (deaths) that have occurred over the past year.  Many times the ponies selected to be "Buy Backs" are ponies that a lot of folks would have liked to purchase and taken home.  But Buy Backs stay on Assateague and Chincoteague for life and will never grace a private stable.  If you purchase a designated Buy Back, you get to name it, receive the certificate saying you purchased it as a Buy Back, and have your photo taken with the foal.  For the rest of the pony's life (and/or your life) you can visit it on the island from a distance.
   But, back to the first sentence.  This woman contacted several friends about setting up a group to purchase ponies and the idea was received enthusiastically.  They put their idea on Facebook, and the group blossomed.  They decided to call themselves "The Chincoteague Legacy Group" and they were in business.  (See   https://chincoteaguelegacygroup.com/  )
   In January or February of 2015, Surfer Dude passed away, and it became known that the foals born to his mares in the Spring and Summer of 2015 would be the last of his get.  On 27 April 2015, Got Milk had a baby that caused a sensation: a black filly with a huge blaze, four white socks and two blue eyes.  She was designated as a Buy Back before the Pony Swim, and fate was set.  The Chincoteague Legacy Group wanted to purchase her, and any other foal(s) they could afford.  That Pony Penning of 2015, there was also a Blue Moon - two full moons in July.
   When that filly came up for bidding, the action was hot and heavy.  When the filly was sold, she was hammered down at the price of  $25,000.00 - and the winning bidder was The Chincoteague Legacy Group.  But before payment was made, the leaders of the group held a quick conference - they had raised $28,500; but other Buy Backs that year were selling for much more. The CLG decided to donate the rest of the money to the CVFC, so they paid out $28,500 for the blue-eyed filly black with the blaze.  She was named CLG Surfer's Blue Moon, and has the highest purchase price of any Buy Back pony so far. She is called just plain "Blue."
  Blue had her second foal on 30 June - foal number 59.  The sire is Tornado's Prince of Tides, and the foal is a bright chestnut with four stockings and a large blaze.  Sex is unknown, as yet, and Blue and the foal (escorted by Auntie Dakota Sky) were too far away to see if the baby has a touch of blue in its' eyes...

***  Photos owned and copyrighted by DSC Photography. ***