Chincoteague Pony Auction 2018 - Prices and Pony Photos

King Neptune, the first foal to reach the shore of Chincoteague during the Wednesday Pony Swim is raffled off, so there were 53 foals sold.  Eleven were designated as "Buy Back" fillies, to help replenish our herds.  If you purchase a Buy Back, you  get to name it and have it's photo taken with you; then it is returned to the ownership of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company for breeding purposes.  You can visit the pony on Assateague, but you never take it home.  (It's also a great IRS tax donation write-off when April comes around.)  The lowest priced foal this year was the first sold, at $1,000; the highest was a Buy Back, now named Wings, for $20,000.  The average price paid was $4,217.00, according to the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce.  (I had not realized that we had lost eight foals this year, and not the three that I knew of.  My apologies for not being informed.)

As usual, DSC Photography, owned and operated by Darcy and Steve Cole, of Greenbackville, Virginia were way ahead of me in getting the photos and prices of the foals together.   Please visit their usual site to see photos of the foals born this year, at:
 https://www.dscphotography.net/2018/2018-Foals

And here is the album they put together with the foals selling information:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/dscphotoESV/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2026354557693181

The Pony Auction album starts out with the first foal auctioned, and finishes with a photo of King Neptune....
     Happy viewing!!!

Also, if you are interested in the Chincoteague Pony Pedigree Database, it can be accessed at:
http://chincoteaguepedigrees.com/pedigree/pedigree.home.php

On the Carnival Grounds - Chincoteague Pony Photos

After Wednesday's swim from Assateague to Chincoteague Island, and then after being herded south on Ridge Road to Beebe Road and then north on Main to the Carnival Grounds, the ponies get to rest and sort themselves out.  For about 18 hours.  Thursday morning (today) is the Pony Auction.  There are sixty (60) foals on the Carnival Grounds at this time - and all will be sold to the highest bidder.  Two foals will go to Feather Fund girls, and either eight or ten fillies will be Buy Backs.  A Buy Back is a foal that is purchased with the right to name the foal, and to have your photo taken with it; but it is then returned to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company to live on Assateague for the rest of it's life.  You buy the pony, but leave it behind.
   Most foals will be leaving the island for their new permanent homes. Some will be too young to separate from their mothers at this time; arrangements must be made to pick up these foals at the Fall Round-Up in October. I remember when there were set prices for the colts and fillies; recently the lowest prices have been $350 to $500 and the highest price was $25,000.  Cash, Visa and MasterCard are accepted.  No checks.
  Here are photos from the Carnival Grounds on Wednesday...

Saltwater Renegade, the Mystery colt, Bay Girl and Lyra's Vega

have had the pasture to themselves - they look surprised to see

everyone appear...

Riptide and Hoppy have a dispute

Legacy and Surfer Princess snuggle, as usual

Suzy's Sweetheart and her little escape artist

Phantom Mist's last colt and mom Daisy

Misty Mills' filly has a cat on her right shoulder, plus this Star Fleet badge

Kimmee Sue and Ken's filly has one blue eye (her left)

Pony Swim and Pony Parade 2018 - with Photos

Despite rain, sometimes heavy, the 93rd Annual Pony Swim and Pony Parade went off without a hitch - but with a minor glitch.  All of the ponies made their swim, or were trailered to the Carnival Grounds.  However, the four adult Misty-descendant mares had never made the swim before.  They started across the Channel twice, then broke away and returned to Assateague.  They are there now.  The glitch, however, was that Suzy's Sweetheart and Riptide's colt had decided to connect with those four mares before the swim.  He, too, turned back to Assateague - and went back ashore.  But don't worry. The Saltwater Cowboys rounded him up, put him on the horse barge, and ferried him across the Channel, re-uniting him with his Mom.  Everything turned out fine.  King Neptune was raffled off Wednesday evening; he was Tunie's colt.
   The Pony Auction will begin at 8 a.m. at the Carnival Grounds.  I'll be reporting on the prices Friday....
   Hope you enjoy the following photos of the swim and parade to the carnival grounds.

Suzy's Sweetheart's colt leaving the barge to find Mom

After a 45 to 60 minute rest, the ponies then travel the streets to the Carnival Grounds:

My girl's butt has the 15 brand in this photo

King Neptune:

Dam: Tuney, Sire: Hoppy