Photos of the First 40 Foals of the Chincoteague Pony Herds of 2023

 The ponies that belong to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company that "run free" on Assateague Island have produced 40 foals as of the 3rd of May 2023.  The ponies belong to the CVFC and live on the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on the southern end of Assateague Island in the state of Virginia.  All of Assateague Island is designated a National Seashore; the smaller part, in Virginia, is the CNWR where the CVFC ponies live.  There is a much larger part of Assateague Island in Maryland, which contains both a State Park, and the National Park (Seashore).  The ponies that live in Maryland "belong" to the National Park Service, are considered wildlife, and receive no care - unless one is deemed to be in distress and a veterinarian is called to decide whether or not to euthanize the pony.  The ponies that belong to the CVFC are watched over by the public, by the CVFC Pony Committee, and there is a local veterinarian on call every minute of every day.  

  Because the CVFC ponies live on National Park Service land, the CVFC follows a government contract limiting the number of ponies on the Refuge to prevent over-grazing.  The foals that are born each year are auctioned off and leave the islands - with the exception of a small group each year.  First the ponies on the Refuge are rounded up at least 3 times each year - there is a Fall, Spring, and Pony Penning Round-Up each year.  During each round-up each pony is inspected by the Pony Committee and  by a veterinarian; any yearly or bi-annual vaccinations are given, worming medications are given, hoofs are checked (and trimmed, if needed), and teeth are checked, and floated as needed.  Bloodwork is done at least once a year to check for infectious diseases.  If a pony is reported by hikers or boaters or drivers, as appearing to be in distress, a Pony Committee member will look at that pony within an hour; if vet care is needed, the pony is taken to a spot where it can be trailered over to the Carnival Grounds on Chincoteague Island, where it will receive the care it needs.

Half-siblings play - buckskin pinto colt (17) and chestnut pinto filly (14)

(Photo copyrighted by DSC Photography)

  The people of Chincoteague Island - the residents and land owners - have never paid a tax to cover the cost of a fire department or for emergency medical care and transport to local hospitals.  The town had a devastating fire on 1 September 1920, and while rebuilding, another on 24 February 1924.  This led to the establishment of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, as it is today.  The CVFC has multiple fund raising events each and every year - but the main fund-raising event is Pony Penning.  The CVFC runs a Carnival on south Main Street each year - this year the dates are July 1, 3 & 4; 21 & 22; and Pony Penning week, July 24 through 29 - everyone who runs any type game, ride, stand, etc at the Carnival is a volunteer.  All time and effort  given by everyone involved is done for the love of the Island.  But the main income comes from the auction of the foals.  Last year, 73 foals were auctioned, bringing in approximately $449,000.  The main pony auction will take place this year on Thursday, 27 July, beginning at 8 a.m. EDT.  Last year's auction, where a person (or group) could bid in person at the Carnival Grounds, or via the internet, was a huge success, and this year's auction will be conducted in the same manner.  Foals born after Pony Penning are auctioned later in the year, but before Christmas.

   To replace bloodstock for breeding purposes, the CVFC Pony Committee chooses (usually) 10 foals from each year's babies to keep on Assateague in the herds.  These 10 foals are deemed "Buy Back" foals.  They are chosen by bloodlines, conformation, color and sex.  A person or group purchases the foal - and the Buy Back foals usually have higher bids than those taken home - with the knowledge that they pay for the foal (an IRS tax write off), get their photo taken with their foal, get to name it - and that the foal is now a broodmare or stallion and lives out the rest of its life on the islands.  This is not a take home pony purchase.  

   When I was a child, you could walk into the pens on the Carnival Ground, and point to foal, and say, "I want that one."  You paid $25 for a filly and $40 for a colt.  With inflation and higher costs for everything, the bids for the foals has risen as well.  Last year, the lowest winning auction bid for a foal was $2,500; the highest, for a Buy Back, was $32,000.  That's a far cry from prices when I was a child.

   Unfortunately, with creatures living in the wild, there are also deaths.  Some foals do not thrive due to unseen medical problems, and accidents and injuries also occur.  This happens even with well-cared for and beloved pets and companions.  Last year, we lost 2 foals out of 75; one disappeared, one suffered a catastrophic injury and was humanely put down.  This year,  we have one loss (so far) out of the first 40 foals.  The dam and foal were seen and photographed from a distance.  The foal was never seen again, but the dam has been back with her band - without the foal - since the second day after birth.  Nature can be cruel.

   Not counting foals, there are currently 152 ponies on the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.  Eighteen of the Chincoteague ponies are stallions, aged 4 to 16 years.  There are 134 females, 20 of them aged 2 years and under.  Since November of 2022, we lost stallion Wild Thing, and mares Suzy's Sweetheart, Destiny's Feathering Spirit, Stevenson's Dakota Sky, and retired mare Lady Hook (aka Susie Q).  The Pony Committee also retired, to private farms, Bay Girl and Duckie due to health issues.  

   The 18 stallions are named (with their sometimes better known "call names" in parentheses):  Ace's Black Tie Affair,  Ajax,  Archer's Gambit (Puzzle),  Chief Golden Eagle,  CLG Rider on the Storm,  CLG ToMorrow's Tidewater Twist,  Don Leonard Stud II (DLSII),  Effie's Papa Bear (Hoppy),  Henry's Hidalgo,  Ken,  Little Dolphin (Neptune - note he is sterile),  Maverick,  Norman Rockwell Giddings,  Surfer's Riptide,  Thunderbolt, Tornado's Legacy,  Tornado's Prince of Tides, and  WH Windy's Beach Boy.

    Following are photos of the first 40 foals born on the CNWR, beginning 21 March 2023.  Most of these photos were taken within 48 hours of birth, and some are from a great distance.  These are photos are copyrighted by their takers.  If not noted otherwise, these photos were taken by DSC Photography, and are their property.

   I am listing the foals in order of birth, date of birth, with sex (if known), coat color, dam, and sire (if known)  -  a ** before the number denotes a direct descendant of Misty of Chincoteague  -

**1.     21 March    Filly    Bay pinto with right blue eye   Maezie (Billy Maez Renegade) & Beach Boy

**2.    26 March     Colt     Black Pinto     Mary Read & Beach Boy

3.       26 March     Colt     Palomino Pinto      Catwalk Chaos & Prince

4.       26 March     Filly     Bay Pinto      Baybe & Ken

5.       1 April     Colt      Bay Pinto      Danny's Girl Splash & Hoppy

6.       3 April     Filly     Chestnut pinto     Chickadee & Maverick

7.       4 April     Filly     Buckskin      Jessica's Sea Star Sandy & Ken

8.       4 April     Filly     Chestnut     Kimmee Sue & Ken

9.       5 April     Filly     Chestnut      CLG Rumor Has It & DLSII

10.     10 April     Colt     Chestnut      Doc's Bay Dream & Puzzle

**11.   11 April      ?     Black Pinto     Anne Bonny's Little Flower & Beach Boy  

        >>  Lost foal  - not seen after these photos were taken on day of birth  <<

12.     11 April     Colt     Palomino Pinto     Precious Jewel & Legacy

13.     12 April     Filly    Buckskin pinto    Sunny Skies After the Storm & Twist

14.     12 April     Filly    Chestnut pinto     Kachina Mayli Mist & Maverick

15.     13 April     Colt     Chestnut pinto     Anne Bonny & Legacy

16.     13 April     Filly     Bay     Sunny (Sunrise Ocean Tides) & Hoppy

17.     14 April     Colt     Buckskin pinto     Jigsaw's Little Miss Skeeter & Maverick

Photo by Patty Ann McMahon

18.     15 April     Colt     Palomino pinto     CLG Surfer's Blue Moon & Prince

19.     16 April     Colt     Chestnut     CLG Ember & Chief

Photos above and below by Lori B. Basch

20.     16 April     Filly     Palomino     Little Miss Sunshine & Legacy

21.     18 April     Filly     Bay pinto with 2 partial blue eyes     Marguerite & Riptide

22.     19 April     Filly     Chestnut pinto     Surfin' Chantel & Maverick

23.     19 April     Colt     Chestnut     Surfer Dude's Gidget & Puzzle

24.     21 April     Colt     Bay     Scottie's ET & Maverick

25.     22 April     Filly     Black with 2 blue eyes     Liz's Serenity & Riptide

26.     23 April     Colt     Bay     May's Grand Slam & Ken

27.     24 April     Colt     Bay pinto     Seaside Miracle & Puzzle

        **** We have, unfortunately, received confirmation that this foal did not survive ****

28.     24 April     Colt     Buckskin pinto     Two Teagues Taco's Chilibean & Twist

         >>  Mare's condition and weight is being monitored  <<

29.     24 April     Filly     Bay pinto     Jean Bonde's Bayside Angel & DLSII

**30.   26 April     Filly     Chestnut     WH Summer Breeze & Riptide (possibly Legacy)

31.     26 April     Colt     Buckskin     Badabing & Ajax     (hair whorl, not a black star)

32.     27 April     Filly     Black pinto     Sweetheart & Legacy

33.     29 April     Filly     Bay pinto     Grandma's Dream & Ajax

34.     29 April     Filly     Chestnut pinto     Poco Latte & Ajax

35.     29 April     Colt     Chestnut pinto     Beach Bunny & Ace

Ace (left) with colt & Beach Bunny

Photo by SFM Photos

36.     30 April     Colt     Bay pinto     White Saddle & Legacy

37.     1 May     ?     Chestnut pinto     Black Pearl & Riptide

38.      2 May     Colt     Bay pinto     Myrt & Brenda's Indiana Girl & Thunderbolt

39.     3 May     ?     Black pinto      Scarlett's Little Bee & Twist

Photo by Capt. Hunter Leonard, Cowboy Cruise Company

40.     3 May     ?     Chestnut pinto     Goldie (Two Teague's Golden Girl) & DLSII

Photo by Capt. Hunter Leonard, Cowboy Cruise Company

*****   The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company has announced that they will auction one Buy Back foal in June, on the internet, with all proceeds going to the Museum of Chincoteague Island - specifically to the fund for the purchase of what remains of the Beebe Ranch on Ridge Road on Chincoteague.  Clarence and Ida Beebe originally owned over 100 acres on the southeast end of the Island; the Beebe Ranch now consists of 10 acres with a barn and the house that belonged to Ralph Beebe - the one in which Misty of Chincoteague spent the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962, and was written about in the book Stormy, Misty's Foal.  Donations so far have reached the 50% mark of the total price; the Museum has signed a contract to buy the Beebe Ranch, to preserve it as a historic site.  When the CVFC announces which foal they have chosen as the Beebe Ranch Buy Back, and have announced the dates for bids, I will post that.  *****