Posts Tagged ‘epic
Pony Penning 2013: Chincoteague Pony Auction
The Pony Auction was held on Thursday, and kicked off with a great performance by the Chincoteague Pony Drill Team.
I stayed throughout the whole auction and was able to photograph all the foals that came through.
Prices ranged from about $600 – $2,500 for the foals that you were able to take home, but the buybacks always seem to go the highest.
The foals that are marked as buybacks can be purchased at the auction but they get to go back to Assateague to live out the rest of their days as a wild pony. So essentially you are making a donation to the fire company and you get the right to name your foal.
This year the highest priced foal was a cute little black and white filly that was designated as a buyback.
This foal sold for $12,000 and was purchased by a woman for her 80th Birthday. The auction crowd promptly sang her Happy Birthday as she entered the ring to meet her foal.
Later in the auction there was another foal purchased by a 100 year old woman – who’s dream was to own a pony. Her’s was a buyback foal as well for $10,000.
Someday I would love to purchase a foal from the auction, but that day was not this year. Regardless it’s always fun to watch the auction as people’s dreams come true!
Incase you missed it you can read our other posts on the 2013 Pony Penning:
Beach Walk HERE
Painting Ponies HERE
Pony Swim HERE
You can check out all the photos from the beach walk, pony swim and auction HERE. They are also available for purchase!
Pony Penning 2013: Chincoteague Pony Swim
The highlight for many who attend Chincoteague Pony Penning is the annual Pony Swim. I love watching the swim and taking photos and with this being my 6th year attending – I pretty much have a system down for getting a great spot for photos.
So on Wednesday morning my mom and I hiked down to Pony Swim Lane and into the swamp to find a spot to stand in the bay. As we were waiting for slack tide for the ponies to swim across a dark storm cloud began to approach behind us.
Just as the dark cloud was upon us the coast guard set off the flare to let us know that it was slack tide and the ponies were ready to swim.
Within minutes it was POURING rain, I was drenched and I was worried my camera would be damaged. Most people ran to hide under a nearby dock, while others left the pony swim site with crying children all together. But the diehards rode out the storm and cheered as the ponies dove into the water. I was among those diehards.
Once the ponies were safely ashore they evacuated the area pretty quickly. So I didn’t get to stick around too long to take photos of them.
Eventually we made the soggy wet walk back to the fairgrounds to see the saltwater cowboys herd the ponies into the pen.
I watched the ponies in the pens for a while, it’s always fascinating to see the stallions round-up their mares and try to keep the other stallions away.
This year’s swim was definitely one for the record books and I’m sure I will always remember it!
Tomorrow I’ll be back with photos from the auction. You can read our other posts on the beach walk HERE, and our painting ponies HERE.
You can check out all the photos from the beach walk, pony swim and auction HERE. They are also available for purchase!
