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.
Showing posts with label Surfer Dude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Surfer Dude. Show all posts
Monday, April 30, 2018
Monday, March 28, 2016
Chincoteague Pony Photos (Virginia)
The last five photos are from DSC Photography - they have a lot of magnificent photos for sale, so please visit their site at www.dscphotography.net
2015 Buy-backs- (l to r) Blue Moon, Surfer Princess, Gingersnap
Surfer Dude in 2006
Fifteen Friends of Freckles (foreground)
Kelly's Luck
Wildest Dreams
Jessica's Sea Star Sandy
Sweet Jane
Friday, January 8, 2016
Rest in Peace, Kelly's Raven Moon
Half-past midnight on Friday morning, and I'm sleepless. Just can't shut my mind down enough to sleep, for some reason. The snow plows just made their first south run down 28th Street, but I was awake well before that. Some type of precipitation was falling about 10:15 tonight, but I couldn't tell if it was rain, slush, or snow falling. The pavements were wet in the parking lot... At 11, one could tell there was a trace of snow on the ground, and now the parking lot is white. I'd say less than half an inch has fallen, so I feel like the plows were not yet necessary. Oh well. Enough grumbling.
No one had a winning lottery ticket last night, so the estimate for Saturday night's drawing is now $700 million - and lottery officials have said that if people start buying tickets like crazy, the jackpot total could reach $1 billion by the time of the draw. I have purchased three more chances, while Beatrice bought two. What one could do with that much money.... the thoughts are staggering.
This past summer, during the 90th Annual Chincoteague Pony Penning, there was one sad event. Soul Surfer, the chestnut yearling son of Surfer Dude and Surf Queen, was discovered to be in very poor condition. Three weeks before, he had been fat, sassy and had a gleaming coat. He was separated from the herd, and taken to a private barn for medical attention. The colt was diagnosed with intestinal cancer, and as his condition worsened, with no recovery possible, he was put to sleep. The fact that the island had lost his father, Surfer Dude, at the age of 23, five months earlier, made the loss harder. This past year, Surfer Dude sired four foals - all of them Buy-Back ponies. There were three fillies and one colt - two blacks, a chestnut, and Gingersnap (who looks like a bay at this point in time). The eldest of the foals was the colt, pure black, who was born the morning of the Spring Round-Up - he couldn't keep up with the pace of the round-up, and was taken back to the Pens on the lap of a Fireman, who was sitting on the tailgate of a truck. The colt's dam followed. Next born was Surfer Princess, a chestnut filly - and full sister to Soul Surfer and Surfer's Riptide. I'm not sure who came next, but the black filly, the daughter of Got Milk, and Gingersnap seem to be about the same age. The black filly has a white face and two blue eyes. She was named CLG Surfer Blue Moon. The last foal sold at the Auction was # 61, an all black colt. He was purchased as a Buy-Back, and was named Kelly's Raven Moon. There were eleven Buy-back foals in 2015. Now there are nine.
We lost a gorgeous Buy-Back pinto filly to a horrendous accident in September. She was grazing under a few trees, when a large limb fell. It fell across her neck, just above her withers. She died instantly. It was a terrible loss. The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, the Pony Committee, and the fans of the ponies are still recovering from the loss of Dreamer's Faith.
And it was just announced that we have lost another Buy-Back weanling. Kelly's Raven Moon, the all black last-born son of Surfer Dude, has passed away. It was noticed by members of the Pony Committee that Raven was not eating, and was not presenting his normal personality. The attending Vet was called, and Raven was trailered to a private barn for testing and care. He presented symptoms of colic and became extremely dehydrated. His suffering became acute, and he was put to sleep. The CVFC had the colt's body sent to another veterinarian to do the necropsy - not that Dr Cameron wouldn't do it - he was just too busy, with his partner on vacation. It turned out that a congenital defect, Mecklen Diverticulitis, was the cause of Raven's death. Normally, about four weeks before birth, a small pouch caused by the umbilical cord on the edge of the small intestine closes, or seals, itself off. Raven's did not do this. The remains of his umbilical cord continued to grow around his small intestines - and eventually cut any passage of food or liquid through his system.
I am so very sorry for the people who purchased both Dreamer's Faith and Kelly's Raven Moon. No one could have foreseen their deaths.... It's just a very, very sad and somber time.
No one had a winning lottery ticket last night, so the estimate for Saturday night's drawing is now $700 million - and lottery officials have said that if people start buying tickets like crazy, the jackpot total could reach $1 billion by the time of the draw. I have purchased three more chances, while Beatrice bought two. What one could do with that much money.... the thoughts are staggering.
This past summer, during the 90th Annual Chincoteague Pony Penning, there was one sad event. Soul Surfer, the chestnut yearling son of Surfer Dude and Surf Queen, was discovered to be in very poor condition. Three weeks before, he had been fat, sassy and had a gleaming coat. He was separated from the herd, and taken to a private barn for medical attention. The colt was diagnosed with intestinal cancer, and as his condition worsened, with no recovery possible, he was put to sleep. The fact that the island had lost his father, Surfer Dude, at the age of 23, five months earlier, made the loss harder. This past year, Surfer Dude sired four foals - all of them Buy-Back ponies. There were three fillies and one colt - two blacks, a chestnut, and Gingersnap (who looks like a bay at this point in time). The eldest of the foals was the colt, pure black, who was born the morning of the Spring Round-Up - he couldn't keep up with the pace of the round-up, and was taken back to the Pens on the lap of a Fireman, who was sitting on the tailgate of a truck. The colt's dam followed. Next born was Surfer Princess, a chestnut filly - and full sister to Soul Surfer and Surfer's Riptide. I'm not sure who came next, but the black filly, the daughter of Got Milk, and Gingersnap seem to be about the same age. The black filly has a white face and two blue eyes. She was named CLG Surfer Blue Moon. The last foal sold at the Auction was # 61, an all black colt. He was purchased as a Buy-Back, and was named Kelly's Raven Moon. There were eleven Buy-back foals in 2015. Now there are nine.
We lost a gorgeous Buy-Back pinto filly to a horrendous accident in September. She was grazing under a few trees, when a large limb fell. It fell across her neck, just above her withers. She died instantly. It was a terrible loss. The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, the Pony Committee, and the fans of the ponies are still recovering from the loss of Dreamer's Faith.
And it was just announced that we have lost another Buy-Back weanling. Kelly's Raven Moon, the all black last-born son of Surfer Dude, has passed away. It was noticed by members of the Pony Committee that Raven was not eating, and was not presenting his normal personality. The attending Vet was called, and Raven was trailered to a private barn for testing and care. He presented symptoms of colic and became extremely dehydrated. His suffering became acute, and he was put to sleep. The CVFC had the colt's body sent to another veterinarian to do the necropsy - not that Dr Cameron wouldn't do it - he was just too busy, with his partner on vacation. It turned out that a congenital defect, Mecklen Diverticulitis, was the cause of Raven's death. Normally, about four weeks before birth, a small pouch caused by the umbilical cord on the edge of the small intestine closes, or seals, itself off. Raven's did not do this. The remains of his umbilical cord continued to grow around his small intestines - and eventually cut any passage of food or liquid through his system.
I am so very sorry for the people who purchased both Dreamer's Faith and Kelly's Raven Moon. No one could have foreseen their deaths.... It's just a very, very sad and somber time.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Bits and Pieces
Read Speaking In Bones yesterday, and then started a new J A Jance mystery. Roxie slept with me the night before last, but Finney has never gotten in bed with me - until this morning. I had to answer a call of nature at 4 a.m., and when I returned, Finney was asleep in my spot, with her head on my pillow. She went totally limp when I attempted to move her, and I finally had to "scoop" her off the bed and onto the floor. Before I could get my butt down on the side of the bed, she was back up, in my space again. I finally got her to settle at my feet, and we had another good sleep until my alarm went off.
Victor and Xena's folks are back from their 12 days of travel, and I need to transcribe my appointments for next year on the new calendar, today or tomorrow. Saturday morning I'll meet with a couple about walking their 5 dogs while they are out of town in February. They have a a lady who will be the live-in care-taker while they're gone, but she recently injured her back, and the dogs pull, so I'll have walking duties.
I gave a friend a Surfer Dude calendar for 2016 as a Christmas gift, and she cried when she opened it... Didn't mean to make her cry, just wanted to give her something SD oriented. She loved that stallion. Guess I'd better get a copy of the book about him for her birthday present.
Taking the Christmas tree down today. Will carefully pack the ornaments and lights, and take our welcome Santa down from the front door. They are coming by tomorrow to pick up trees to make into fresh mulch - so ours will go onto the pile. Both Beatrice and I get checks tomorrow, so we'll also grab cat food, squirrel food and bird food tomorrow. Not doing anything special for New Years Eve. But I'll watch the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade without commercial interruption on the Home and Garden television channel on Friday, and I think the Gators play in a Bowl Game that afternoon. We'll probably have black-eyed peas, pork chops, collard greens, apple sauce and corn bread for supper - not making Hoppin' John this year.
Please enjoy the rest of the year 2015!
Victor and Xena's folks are back from their 12 days of travel, and I need to transcribe my appointments for next year on the new calendar, today or tomorrow. Saturday morning I'll meet with a couple about walking their 5 dogs while they are out of town in February. They have a a lady who will be the live-in care-taker while they're gone, but she recently injured her back, and the dogs pull, so I'll have walking duties.
I gave a friend a Surfer Dude calendar for 2016 as a Christmas gift, and she cried when she opened it... Didn't mean to make her cry, just wanted to give her something SD oriented. She loved that stallion. Guess I'd better get a copy of the book about him for her birthday present.
Taking the Christmas tree down today. Will carefully pack the ornaments and lights, and take our welcome Santa down from the front door. They are coming by tomorrow to pick up trees to make into fresh mulch - so ours will go onto the pile. Both Beatrice and I get checks tomorrow, so we'll also grab cat food, squirrel food and bird food tomorrow. Not doing anything special for New Years Eve. But I'll watch the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade without commercial interruption on the Home and Garden television channel on Friday, and I think the Gators play in a Bowl Game that afternoon. We'll probably have black-eyed peas, pork chops, collard greens, apple sauce and corn bread for supper - not making Hoppin' John this year.
Please enjoy the rest of the year 2015!
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Recent Photos (Mostly) from Assateague Island
Warning signs on Assateague beach
Assateague Channel
Assateague lighthouse from Assateague Channel
Looking up from the base of Assateague Lighthouse
Wild Thing - photo by Captain Dan's Tours
Oystercatcher - photo by Captain Dan's Tours
Evening egret
A six year old photo of Surfer Dude
Saturday, May 23, 2015
New Foals and a Scow
This is a new filly who was born recently on the Maryland (northern) end of Assateague Island in Maryland. Her dam is known as Jojo.
If you're visiting Chincoteague and want to see ponies, be sure to take Captain Dan's Tours. Three of the new foal photos shown today were taken by him. This is Summer's Gentle Breeze and her new foal.
This is from a year or two ago - Clipper and Periwinkle
I would love to be reading, napping, watching birds and ponies - whatever - in this boat...
Another of Captain Dan's recent photos - Destiny and her new filly.
Captain Dan captured Galadrial's new filly standing at her rear, and a good view of Thetis's belly - yes, she is still pregnant.
One of Surfer Dude's favorite mares was Surf Queen - this is the filly born this year. She is a full sister to Surfer's Riptide. Thanks to Deb Iddings Noll for the use of her photo.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Bits and Pieces
The head and chest cold that hit me Thursday is starting to subside. My nose runs and my lungs are full of gunk, and I keep coughing stuff up, but I no longer feel as if my head will explode each and every second. Now the question is when will the sun shine and when will it get warm? It's been raining for the past week, and the temperature have been running about 20 degrees (F) below normal. It's 8:20 a.m. MDT, on May 20, and it's 36 degrees outside. I'm in my apartment wearing a T-shirt, jeans, wool socks (and sneakers), and a cotton sweater - and I'm still chilly. A large part of this is due to my cold, I know.
Surfer Dude, my favorite Chincoteague pony stallion, had his death publicized in the New York Times yesterday. It's odd how the love of millions of people can make a single pony famous - especially in death. I bet his foals that are born this year bring high prices at the annual Auction of foals during Pony Penning at the end of July this year.
My local horse track, in Aurora, (Arapahoe Park) will begin live racing on Friday, May 22. They offer betting on races daily, and the live racing card will feature thoroughbred, Arabian, and Quarter-horse racing. I just might have to go visit sometime soon.
All the colts that ran in the Preakness Stakes on 16 May returned sound and in good shape, except Danzig Moon who had heavy coughing spells for 48 hours after the race. Possible starters in the Belmont Stakes, run over the distance of 1.5 miles, with all three-year-old colts carrying 126 pounds, include: American Pharoah, making a try for the Triple Crown championship; three colts trained by Todd Pletcher, Madefromlucky, Carpe Diem, and Materiality; Mubtaahij, the horse with international connections; Tale of Verve, who finished second in the Preakness; and new-comer Conquest Culinate. We'll see who is actually running as the 6 June running date gets closer.
And, finally, both of Zenyatta's colts, Cozmic One and Ziconic, are on John Sherriffs shed row at Belmont Park. Cozmic One ran poorly in his first race - finished last in a field of seven. I think he was just having a good time, out playing, in the afternoon. Hopefully he'll develop the need and drive to finish ahead of other horses. Ziconic has just finished his breaking and training at Mayberry Farms in Florida. Think the younger can teach the older what racing is all about?
Surfer Dude, my favorite Chincoteague pony stallion, had his death publicized in the New York Times yesterday. It's odd how the love of millions of people can make a single pony famous - especially in death. I bet his foals that are born this year bring high prices at the annual Auction of foals during Pony Penning at the end of July this year.
My local horse track, in Aurora, (Arapahoe Park) will begin live racing on Friday, May 22. They offer betting on races daily, and the live racing card will feature thoroughbred, Arabian, and Quarter-horse racing. I just might have to go visit sometime soon.
All the colts that ran in the Preakness Stakes on 16 May returned sound and in good shape, except Danzig Moon who had heavy coughing spells for 48 hours after the race. Possible starters in the Belmont Stakes, run over the distance of 1.5 miles, with all three-year-old colts carrying 126 pounds, include: American Pharoah, making a try for the Triple Crown championship; three colts trained by Todd Pletcher, Madefromlucky, Carpe Diem, and Materiality; Mubtaahij, the horse with international connections; Tale of Verve, who finished second in the Preakness; and new-comer Conquest Culinate. We'll see who is actually running as the 6 June running date gets closer.
And, finally, both of Zenyatta's colts, Cozmic One and Ziconic, are on John Sherriffs shed row at Belmont Park. Cozmic One ran poorly in his first race - finished last in a field of seven. I think he was just having a good time, out playing, in the afternoon. Hopefully he'll develop the need and drive to finish ahead of other horses. Ziconic has just finished his breaking and training at Mayberry Farms in Florida. Think the younger can teach the older what racing is all about?
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Surfer Dude and Family - Photos
Surfer Dude (with son Riptide standing behind him) 2014 Pony Penning
Surfer Dude (right) struts for mares with Courtney's Boy (second from right)
Surfer Dude with mares and foals 2014
Surfer Dude (1992 - 2015)
Surfer Dude Fall Round-Up 2014 - by Deb Iddings Noll
Surfer's Riptide 2014 Pony Penning
Surf Queen, Surfer's Riptide, Surfer Dude (left to right)
Soul Surfer 2014 Pony Penning - by Deb Iddings Noll
Soul Surfer October 2014 - by Deb Iddings Noll
2015 filly by Surfer Dude, out of Got Milk?
2015 filly and Got Milk? May 2015
Surfer Dude Is Dead
Tomorrow the Black-Eyed Susan, the fillies race equivalent to the Preakness, will be run. There are nine entries, only two of which ran in the Kentucky Oaks - Include Betty and Luminance. In Preakness news, American Pharoah, who won the Kentucky Derby drew the number one starting gate position for the second race in the Triple Crown. I'll expound on the starters, and their pedigrees, in tomorrow's and Saturday's blog entries.
Yesterday, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company announced that the 23-year-old stallion, Surfer Dude, had died. Surfer Dude was born in the spring of 1992. He was last seen, with his mares, on Assateague in mid-February of this year. During the winter and early Spring, he was known to be secretive, and extremely protective of his mares and foals. But people who are hard-core pony watchers, and the CVFC Pony Committee, were disturbed when he wasn't rounded up in April, with the rest of the ponies and multiple herds. It was noticed that his usual herd mares were split up into other herds. Sometimes, as a stallion gets older, and can't compete with the younger stallions for the attentions of the ladies, he will withdraw after losing several fights, and occasionally turns into a hermit. None of his fans believed that the Dude would take that "easy way" out.
Yesterday morning, members of the Pony Committee were searching an extremely thick patch of brush, on foot. Blond hair was seen, snagged on a branch, very close to the ground. The remains of Surfer Dude were found. His microchip and a DNA sample were recovered, and it was then announced that the Big Man - the Show Man - was no longer with us. It is assumed that he died in early to mid-March, possibly from a heart attack, or from a lightning strike. Due to the location of the body, it's thought that the heart attack scenario is more likely to have happened.
We have Surfer Dude's son, Surfer's Riptide, as a stallion with his own herd at this time. Last year, one of the buy-back foals was another son of Surfer Dude - a bright chestnut colt with a huge blaze and blue eyes. This spring, one of Surfer Dude's mares, Got Milk?, produced a beautiful filly, with a large blaze. Currently the filly has a gun-metal grey coat, but it's thought that she will shed out and be a black. Finally, I remember Surfer Dude as a baby. I remember him as a stallion. I'd love to actually own one of his babies, but that isn't to be. I hope he thunders across the sky, tossing his lovely head and eyes, with blond mane and tail streaming in the wind,since he has crossed the rainbow bridge.
Yesterday, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company announced that the 23-year-old stallion, Surfer Dude, had died. Surfer Dude was born in the spring of 1992. He was last seen, with his mares, on Assateague in mid-February of this year. During the winter and early Spring, he was known to be secretive, and extremely protective of his mares and foals. But people who are hard-core pony watchers, and the CVFC Pony Committee, were disturbed when he wasn't rounded up in April, with the rest of the ponies and multiple herds. It was noticed that his usual herd mares were split up into other herds. Sometimes, as a stallion gets older, and can't compete with the younger stallions for the attentions of the ladies, he will withdraw after losing several fights, and occasionally turns into a hermit. None of his fans believed that the Dude would take that "easy way" out.
Yesterday morning, members of the Pony Committee were searching an extremely thick patch of brush, on foot. Blond hair was seen, snagged on a branch, very close to the ground. The remains of Surfer Dude were found. His microchip and a DNA sample were recovered, and it was then announced that the Big Man - the Show Man - was no longer with us. It is assumed that he died in early to mid-March, possibly from a heart attack, or from a lightning strike. Due to the location of the body, it's thought that the heart attack scenario is more likely to have happened.
We have Surfer Dude's son, Surfer's Riptide, as a stallion with his own herd at this time. Last year, one of the buy-back foals was another son of Surfer Dude - a bright chestnut colt with a huge blaze and blue eyes. This spring, one of Surfer Dude's mares, Got Milk?, produced a beautiful filly, with a large blaze. Currently the filly has a gun-metal grey coat, but it's thought that she will shed out and be a black. Finally, I remember Surfer Dude as a baby. I remember him as a stallion. I'd love to actually own one of his babies, but that isn't to be. I hope he thunders across the sky, tossing his lovely head and eyes, with blond mane and tail streaming in the wind,since he has crossed the rainbow bridge.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Chincoteague Pony Photos
This buckskin paint filly was photographed in April 2014 by Matt DesJardins
The same filly, photographed by Deb Iddings Noll on 10 October 2014
(A lot of Chincoteague pony's coats change color in the winter)
This is Quint, a handsome two-year-old, who currently stands at 14.3 hands - he was a Feather Fund purchase in 2012
Soul Surfer on 10 October 2014 (see his sire below)
Photo by Deb Iddings Noll
Surfer Dude in the rain, 11 October 2014
Photo by Deb Iddings Noll
This is Misty's Crown Prince, who was given a new start in life by the Chincoteague Pony Rescue.
He appeared in his first dressage show last weekend, and won his class! His justifiably proud owner is Pam Kusnirik.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Chincoteague Pony Fall Round-Up
The Fall Round-Up of the Chincoteague ponies on Assateague Island occurred this past Friday and Saturday (October 25 and 26), with just a few problems. That caused the foal sale to be moved back from 3 p.m. until 4 - but otherwise, things went well. Here are photos of the Round-Up, courtesy of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and Denise Bowden:
Ace
Riptide
Surfer Dude (Riptide's sire)
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