Auctioned Foals Bring In $271,700.00 for CVFC

I somehow missed the passing of two foals - Destiny's Feathering Spirit and Surfin' Chantel's foals both died in June.  That left fifty-nine foals out of the sixty-one that survived more than one day.  I am puzzled by the non-accounting for yet another foal - but am hoping things will be cleared up within the next few days so i can post where/how the foal "disappeared."  ...  Fifty-seven foals were auctioned off this morning at the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company's annual Pony Auction during Pony Penning Week.  One foal from the group born this spring and summer had been raffled off yesterday - that was Queen Neptune, the first foal to swim the Channel yesterday between Assateague and Chincoteague Islands.  That makes 58 foals, so there is one missing from my count - somewhere.
   I don't know how much the raffle tickets brought in for Queen Neptune - who turned out to be the filly of Doc Amrien and Effie's Papa Bear (aka Hoppy).  However, the 57 foals that were auctioned off today brought in a total of $271,700 - an average winning bid of  $4,767.   Of course, several of the designated Buy Back foals really skewed the average prices.  The highest bid on a Buy Back (filly) today was $17,500; the lowest winning bid on a foal was $1,400.  There were three Feather Fund foals, and I know that two of them were purchased at $4,500 each.
   Listed are the prices that I know were paid for 21 of the 57 foals sold.  First, the two Feather Fund foal purchases:
 Dreamer's Gift and Ajax (or Puzzle) filly  for $4,500
 Got Milk and Surfer's Riptide colt   for  $4,500
There were 10 designated Buy Back foals - I have prices for nine; missing A Splash of Freckles's filly:
 Anne Bonny and Legacy  filly  for  $12,500
 Black Pearl and Maverick filly  for  $17,500
 Danny's Girl Splash and Hoppy  filly for  $16,000
 May's Grand Slam and Ken  filly  for $ 10,000
 Miracle's Natural Beauty and Legacy  colt  for $16,500  (to the Chincoteague Legacy Group)
 WH Winter Moon and Don Leonard Stud2  filly for  $15,000  (to the CLG)
 Skylark and Ajax filly  for  $6,400
 Two Teague's Taco and Ace filly  for $10,500
 Thunderstorm Skies and Puzzle filly  for $7,500
The other foals sold to be taken home immediately, or picked up at the Fall Round-Up:
  Zustan and Legacy colt (perlino/cremello)  for $2,300
  Randy and Riptide colt  for $4,800
  Lorna Dune and Prince colt  for $3,000
  CLG Blue Moon and Prince colt  for $3,900
  Smooch and Legacy filly  for $3,700
  Surfer's Gidget and Puzzle colt  for $4,000
  Poco's Starry Night and Riptide colt  for  $5,900
  Too Grand and Ajax filly  for  $6,300
  Leah's Bayside Angel and Wild Thing filly for $10,000
  WH Wildfire and Riptide colt   for $3,500

Photos of the four highest priced foals of 2019:

$17,500

$16,500

$16,000

$15,000 (filly in foreground)

Four Days of Pony Penning Week So Far... Buy Backs Tagged

All yearling and older ponies, as well as all the foals (with the exception of Kimball's Rainbow Delight's) showed up for Pony Penning in the north and south herds.  We lost CLG Cowboy Kisses to suspected equine pythiosis just before Pony Penning; Carol's Little Freedom disappeared in March; Cody's Little Jigsaw Puzzle disappeared 10 days be Spring Round-Up; and Rainy's foal was photographed one afternoon, soon after birth, and never seen again.  At the moment there are 143 ponies counted as yearlings or older, and 61 foals in the combined herds.
  I was surprised to find that the Pony Committee has marked 10 foals as selected But Backs this year, as the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company's contract with the US government states that there can be no more 150 ponies kept on the  Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge year round.  With 143 and 10 Buy Backs, that is a trifle over 150 head of ponies.  So now I'm wondering if a few of the older ponies will be gently "retired" into private, personal homes for the rest of their lives, to make room for the ten chosen foals.
  Well - first of all - the ten foals marked as Buy Backs (and this may change if one of them ends up being King or Queen Neptune tomorrow) are nine fillies and one colt.  The colt is foal 7 - a buckskin, out of Miracle's Natural Beauty, and sired by Tornado's Legacy. The two solid color fillies are Anne Bonny's buckskin (number 55), sired by Legacy; and Black Pearl's black (number 52), sired by Maverick.  The other seven fillies are pintos - six bay and one chestnut: the chestnut is out of Two Teagues Taco (number 56), sired by Ace; and number 2, out of Danny's Girl Splash, by Hoppy; number 57, out of May's Grand Slam, by Ken; number 4, out of Winter Moon, by DLSII; number 61, out of Skylark, by Ajax; number 48, out of Splash of Freckles, by Legacy; and number 12, out of Thunderstorm Skies, by Puzzle.
   Rainbow Warrior was foaled in 1997, and is looking very tired and worn.  Neptune (aka Little Dolphin) has not sired a foal in 2 years, even though he has a very nice herd of mares, breeds them frequently, and is only 11 years old.  I am wondering if these two stallions might be retired from Assateague, as Tornado (the sire of Legacy and Prince of Tides) was.  I would also (personally) retire WitchKraft (aka Friendly Girl), who is 27 this year and produced another gorgeous foal on May 18th  - a chestnut pinto filly with  Prince....   But the above is just my own personal thoughts  - not those of the CVFC or any other people that I know of...
  That started me thinking about the ages of the ponies in general - they pretty much fend for themselves year-round, unless it's a really hard winter and hay is provided - and they bicker among themselves, as all wild things do, settling leadership issues.   Looking just at the stallions - Rainbow Warrior acts the eldest (born in 1997), and hasn't bred a mare in years; but Wild Thing was also born in 1997 and is very active and producing foals.  Born in 2007 were Ace's Black Tie Affair, Effie's Papa Bear (aka Hoppy), Ajax, Tornado's Legacy and Tornado's Prince of Tides.  Born in 2008 were Chief Golden Eagle, Ken, Archer's Gambit (aka Puzzle), and Little Dolphin (aka Neptune), who has not sired a foal in 2 years.  Surfer's Riptide was born in 2009.  The year 2014 produced Maverick and the Don Leonard Stud II (aka DLS2).  WH Rainy's Beach Boy was born and donated to the CVFC in 2015 - the first Misty stallion descendant on Assateague.  2017 saw the addition of two more colts: Henry's Hidalgo, and CLG ToMorrow's Tidewater Twist.  Last year, another solid bay colt was added, Thunderbolt.
  Looking at the mares, the eldest is WitchKraft (aka Friendly Girl) who was born in 1992.  Babe was born in 1994; Unci in 1995; Susie Q in 1996, and Checkers in 1997.  1998 saw the births of Black Star, Suzy's Sweetheart, and Slash of White.  Bay Girl, Leah's Bayside Angel, Shy Anne (aka Half 'n' Half), and Cinnamon Blaze were born in 1999. Born in 2000 were Whisper of a Living Legend, Too Grand (aka Saltwater Taffee), Got Milk, Ella of Assateague, Surfin' Scarlet, and Lefty's Checkmark.  Thetis, Susana, Unforgettable, and Stevenson's Dakota Sky were born in 2001.  And 2002 saw the birth of Surfer Dude's Gidget, Tuleta Star, JABATTA, and Tiger Lily (aka Waterbaby).... 
  There is no reversing of the aging process, and having a foal almost every year can be very wearing on the mares - and fighting amongst the stallions can be pretty nasty and debilitating, too.

    So - here are photos of the marked Buy Back

foals for 2019 - in order of their birth:

#2 - filly, by Hoppy, out of Danny's Girl Splash

#4 - filly, by DLS2, out of Winter Moon

#7 - colt, by Legacy, out of Miracle's Natural beauty

#12 - filly, by Puzzle, out of Thunderstorm Skies

#48 - filly, by Legacy, out of A Splash of Freckles

#52 - filly, by Maverick, out of Black Pearl

#55 - filly, by Legacy, out of Anne Bonny

#56 - filly, by Ace, out of Two Teague's Taco

#57 - filly, by Ken, out of May's Grand Slam

#61 - filly, by Ajax, out of Skylark

Southern Herds In Corral; Northern Herds To Be Rounded Up This Morning

All Chincoteague Ponies in the southern compartment of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island were successfully rounded-up and corralled Saturday morning.  Each and every pony living in the southern area was gathered in by the Saltwater Cowboys, made up of Volunteer Firemen from Chincoteague Island and other horsemen from other Volunteer Fire Companies (both near by, and from as far away as Ohio). 
  Due to the extreme heat the east coast is experiencing, the southern herds round-up was moved from the usual afternoon gathering, to one beginning at 7 a.m. yesterday.  Some visitors were unhappy with the time change, but the Pony Committee does what is best for the ponies, and for the horses the round-up men ride.  Veterinarians recommended an earlier and cooler time of day, and even so, it was hot.
  The yearlings look a bit peaked, due to the heat.  It is also their first summer grazing for themselves, and they were on the Carnival Grounds, with both hay and pasture provided up until mid-April.  It's not unusual to see ribs and backbones in feral yearlings, especially as they are busy growing, as well as playing - which doesn't work well in this extraordinary heat wave.  On the whole, the majority of the ponies look very good, weight-wise.  But the yearlings and nursing mares could use some more weight...

 Above: foal 26, out of Got Milk, by Riptide

Below: foal 27, out of Loveland's Secret Feather, by Riptide

   Today's northern round-up will cover a lot more territory, and there are 12 distinct herds to gather in, rather than just 3 down south.  (I was "screamed at" on Facebook fro listed two mares as deceased last week - both have been declared deceased by the Chincoteague Pony Pedigree Database, in keeping with the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company's records.  However, a group of pony enthusiasts insists that until a pony has been missing for more than a year, it should be considered alive, stating that other ponies have reappeared after a year long disappearance.  I still completely disagree with this.)  Two mares have been missing since March and April - Carol's Little Freedom has been missing since the first week of March, and Cody's Little Jigsaw Puzzle was last seen the first week of April.  Freedom was in Hoppy's herd and was 20 years old; Jigsaw was in Legacy's herd, and looked about ready to foal when she disappeared at the age of 6.  I expect everyone to come in except these two mares in the northern compartment.
   I am still trying to figure out the comments regarding ponies missing for a year that suddenly make a reappearance. The only one I can think of is Pirate, who was best known as "Broken Jaw."  He did evade being rounded three times immediately after his jaw was broken by a kick from an older stallion - but he was also seen many times in between the Fall, Spring, and Pony Penning round-ups where he was absent.  And then, after a couple of years once he had his own herd, the cowboys left him on Assateague, because he kept going over and through the fences at the Carnival Grounds, and leading his mares and other herds all over the island...

Pirate, also known as Broken Jaw

   When Walt Clark was alive, I used to sit at his side and ask questions about all the Pony Pennings he remembered - then I'd go home and write all of what he told me down.  Since he was a true Teaguer, raised on Piney Island, a World War II veteran, a hunter, poacher, Round-Up man, and absolutely wonderful person, I take his word on what has happened with the ponies in the past (may he rest in peace).  He was a fantastic teller of tales, both of the times when his family lived on Assateague, and his own years in the Army and on Chincoteague....  He was the one who gave me the background information on Pirate.

Maximum Security Wins Haskell Invitational

For a minute or two, it seemed like deja vu - but at the end of the Haskell Invitational, the Stewards' Inquiry sign flashed on the tote board after the $1 million Haskell Invitational was run this evening.  I held my breath, wondering if another win by Maximum Security would be taken away from from, as the Kentucky Derby victory was.  But, after less than three minutes, the Stewards at Monmouth decided that John Velasquez's quick take-back of King for a Day at the 3/8ths pole did not cause any change  or disruption in the order of finish. 
   It was a very hot day in New Jersey; and the Haskell was scheduled to have a post time of 5:45.  After running the first two races on the schedule, it was decided to cancel all races, except the Stakes races, which would begin at 8 p.m., by which time, it was hoped the temperatures would cool.  The Haskell Invitational field left the starting gate at approximately 8:15 p.m. EDT this evening, with six entries, as Joevia was scratched.
   Bethlehem Road led for the first half mile, then King for a Day took over the lead.  The Maximum Security turned on the gas.  Maximum Security crossed the finish line in a time of 1:47.56 for the 1 1/8 mile race.  He was 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Mucho Gusto, who led Spun to Run by 8 lengths; and was followed by Everfast 2 1/2 lengths further back.  King for a Day finished in fifth, with Bethlehem Road in sixth.  Maximum Security received $600,000 of the $990,000 guaranteed purse.
Pay outs for a a $ betting ticket were: $3.60 to win on Maximum Security, $3.40 to place on Mucho Gusto; and $5.60 to show on Spun to Run.  A $2 exacta paid $12; and a $1 Superfecta paid $185.70.
   Due to the continuing heat wave along the east coast, all racing scheduled for Sunday at Monmouth Park has been cancelled.

Maximum Security winning the Haskell Invitational

 

Saturday: $1 Million Haskell Invitational & CVFC Southern Round-Up

Saturday, 20 July, will see the running of the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.  The race is over a distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs), and the post time is 5:45.  There are seven entries, with Maximum Security chosen as the morning-line betting favorite at odds of 8 to 5.   Here are the post positions, the names of the entries, and the betting odds:
 1.   King for a Day       5 to 2
 2.   Joevia                   10 to 1
 3.   Spun to Run          15 to 1
 4.   Bethlehem Road   20 to 1
 5.   Mucho Gusto          2 to 1
 6.   Everfast                  10 to1
 7.   Maximum Security    8 to 5

Maximum Security, morning line betting favorite for the Haskell

At 7 a.m., the Saltwater Cowboys will convene at the main corrals on Beach Road in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island, Virginia.  The southern herd round-up is usually conducted in the afternoon, but this year, with the heat index projected to be 115° in the afternoon, the herd-gathering will take place before the heat of the day strikes.   The souhern herds consist of three groups - one led by Surfer's Riptide, one led by the Don Leonard Stud II (DLS2), and the 2018s (last year's group of Buy Back foals).  The northern herds will be rounded up Sunday morning.

Stallion Surfer's Riptide

Stallion DLS2

Four of the 2018 yearlings

Newer Photos of Some of the 60 Chincoteague Pony Foals At CNWR

 Foal 9 - colt born 20 April, sired by Wild Thing, out of Summer Breeze

Foal 11 - filly born 25 April, sired by Ajax or Puzzle, out of Dreamer's Gift

Foal 13 - filly born 27 April, sired by Wild Thing, out of Tuleta Star

Foal 34 - filly born 14 May, sired by Ken, out of Kimmee Sue

Foal 51 - filly born 5 June, sired by Wild Thing, out of Leah's Bayside Angel

Foal 57 - filly born 23 June, sired by Ken, out of May's Grand Slam

Two colts sired by Tornado's Prince of Tides - Foal 59 at left, Foal 1 at right -

at left, born on 30 June  out of CLG Surfer's Blue Moon;

at right, born on 22 March  out of Catwalk Chaos

(Photo taken on 30 June, when smaller baby was less than 12 hours old)

Foal 2 - filly born on 1 April, sired by Hoppy, out of Danny's Girl Splash

Foal 28 - colt born 9 May, sired by Tornado's Legacy, out of White Saddle

Foal 60 - colt born on 12 July, sired by Ace's Black Tie Affair, out of 

Jean Bonde's Bayside Angel

Foal 61 - filly born 13 July, sired by Ajax, out of Skylark

***  All photos with © watermark are the property of DSC Photography.

Photos without watermark are property of Gina Aguilera.  ***

Pony Penning Week 2019 - Updated Activities Schedule

Pony Penning Week is fast approaching, and a lot of people are getting excited.  The week (actually 9 nights and 7 days) of activities, can actually start being counted on Friday night, July 19th, with the evening opening of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company's Carnival, and ends with the closing of the Carnival on Saturday night/Sunday morning of July 27th.
   On Saturday, the 20th of July, there is a slight change this year:  the round-up of the herds in the Southern compartment used to begin in the afternoon; this year it is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. (This has already brought some complaints from people who will be in transit that morning - but there is plenty to see and do the entire week.)  There are currently three groups in the south - Riptide's herd, the Don Leonard Stud II's herd, and the group of yearlings that are the 2018 Buy Back ponies.  Once the ponies are rounded up, they can be viewed at the main corrals on Beach Road on Assateague Island in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.  The Carnival is open Saturday night.

(2013)

   Sunday morning, the herds in the Northern compartment will be rounded up and gathered together.  I believe that the bus seats have all been sold out, so if you wish to see the herds in the northern holding corral, you will need to hike 2.5 miles north up the Service Road off  of the Wildlife Loop.  This is not a road open to personal vehicles.  You will have to walk there, and walk back.  Take lots of water for hydration and lots of insect repellent, if you choose to walk.
   Monday morning, 22 July, at dawn, the Saltwater Cowboys will move the northern herds east across Assateague to the Atlantic surf.  There, the ponies will be herded south along the beach to the CNWR/Assateague National Seashore parking lot, and then west along Beach Road to the main corrals, where the southern herds are gathered.

(2011)

   Monday afternoon and Tuesday, the herds will be in the main corrals.  The veterinarians on call, with their vet technicians, will check each and every pony for fitness.  The foals' blood will be drawn for Coggins' testing (so new owners can transport the babies across state lines later in the week).  The vets will decided which ponies are too young, too old, or in such condition as to warrant a trailer ride to the Chincoteague  Carnival Grounds instead of swimming.  (Unci, an older mare with a swayback due to a genetic condition, is usually trailered over, along with very pregnant mares, or those with cuts, scrapes, or other things indicating transport versus swimming.)  This is a great time and place to take photos - however, the board fencing can make photography difficult.  If you have a step-stool or a short ladder, you might wish to take it along for good photos with fencing in the view.

(Riptide & Ajax)

   Wednesday morning, 24 July, is the actual Pony Swim Day.  I have heard that it will occur between 8:30 and 10:30 that morning - but the time is always subject to change.  The ponies swim when the US Coast Guard declares the tide running between the islands is "slack" - when it is not moving north or south, when it can carry the ponies away.  The time of slack tide can be influenced by local storms. Some people are at the swim area by 5 a.m., others arrive later.  It is very hot and humid beside the Assateague Channel, and there are quite a few cases of heat exhaustion each year in the crowds along the Channel.  Please take plenty of water to hydrate everyone in your party... 
   The Swim itself takes about 3 minutes from the time a pony enters the water from Assateague until it stands on solid ground on Chincoteague.  The first foal to reach Chincoteague is declared King or Queen Neptune (depending on gender) and is raffled off in a drawing.  Tickets are being sold now, and will be sold up until an hour before the actual drawing.
   Once all ponies are ashore on Chincoteague, and King or Queen Neptune has been marked, the ponies are given a 45 to 60 minute rest period.  Then the Saltwater Cowboys herd them along Beebe Road and the north on Main Street to the Carnival Grounds - the Pony Penning Parade on Main Street.  The Pony Committee of the CVFC will decide the choices of sexes for replacement breeding stock needed on the island due to deaths and illnesses. The Pony Committee members, along with the vets, will have been looking at the foals and evaluating bloodlines, conformation and coloring, and they will choose the foals to be designated as Buy Backs on those criteria.  The Carnival will open about 90 minutes after the ponies are in the pens on Main Street, and will stay open until 11.

   The Pony Auction begins at 8 o'clock on Thursday, 25 July, with foals being sold to the highest bidder.  Payment to the CVFC in the amount of the winning bid, must be paid in cash, with Travelers' Checks, or through a Visa or Mastercard payment.  No other types of payment are accepted.  Most foals will travel to new (hopefully, "forever") homes, but the designated Buy Backs stay on the islands.  If you purchase a designated Buy Back pony, you receive a tax write-off for the amount of purchase, as you are essentially giving your money to the CVFC for the naming of the foal.  The CVFC will maintain the foal throughout it's life and will be able to sell any foals that pony produces as it grows older.
   If you purchase a pony to take home with you, you will receive a sales receipt,  a veterinary report, and a care booklet, plus other donated "goodies" (these change from year to year).  You are expected to provide approved transportation from the Carnival Grounds by noon on Saturday, 27 July.  If the foal you purchase is too young to separate from it's mother, you must return in October for the Fall Round-Up and have transportation for your foal at that time.   The Carnival will be open Thursday afternoon and evening.

   On Friday, 26 July, the ponies living in the southern compartment will make the return swim from Chincoteague back to Assateague on the morning's slack tide.  The expected swim time for Friday is announced Thursday night at the Carnival.   Ponies from the north end will be trailered back to Assateague during the day.  The Carnival is open Friday night.

   The Carnival will be open the evening of Saturday the 27th of July, and drawings for all of the raffles will occur just before closing.   
   And Chincoteague can settle back into it's usual summertime routine once again.