Betty's Critters - & History Views

In 1925, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company began their management of the annual Pony Penning that had been taking place on Assateague and Chincoteague Islands in Virginia for over a hundred years.  Pony Penning was an annual event when the owners of the livestock, running free on both islands, were rounded up and identified.  The stock that the owner did not need in the foreseeable future, was sold off at an agreed upon price, and was usually removed from the islands.  It had been a well-known event for many years, with people gathering from the Carolinas, Virginia, Washington D. C., Delmarva, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.    When the CVFC began managing Pony Penning, they got county and state permission for a Carnival, set up games and different types of races (boating, swimming and horse and pony), as well as having the Pony Sale.  And the CVFC advertised the Carnival and Pony Penning events in newspapers.  It became a big event ....

 It looks as though the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company will have a bumper crop of foals for its' Pony Auction on Thursday, 25 July.  The people who live on Chincoteague Island do not pay a tax to support their Fire Department and Ambulance Service.  The purchase of fire fighting equipment, fire engines, ambulances, rescue vehicles, all training for both services, and the few paid positions in both services, come through the sales of the Chincoteague Pony foals, the annual Firemen's Carnival in July, fund-raising events and donations.  The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company was established in May of 1924 - 100 years ago this month - after two horrendous fires wiped out downtown areas, and then when a third fire occurred, the previously purchased fire-fighting equipment would not work.  Fourteen men passed a hat around, raised $4.16, and the CVFC was formed.    *** The photos I use in this specific blog are NOT mine.  They are the copyrighted,...