In a fairytale ending that would have delighted “Misty of Chincoteague” author Marguerite Henry, the 100th anniversary pony auction July 31 on Chincoteague Island yielded record proceeds of more than $1 million.

That’s good news for pony fans, because these funds go to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company (CVFC) and the care of the feral herd it owns on the Virginia side of Assateague Island.

One for the history books

An annual tradition on this tiny barrier island, Pony Penning week routinely attracts large crowds eager to watch the feral ponies swim from the Virginia side of Assateague Island to neighboring Chincoteague Island at slack tide.

Prior to the swim, which is orchestrated by the fire company’s “Saltwater Cowboys,” the ponies receive veterinary checks, and the buyback foals are selected. Once on Chincoteague, the foals are auctioned off in an effort to maintain the herd size at the 150 maximum permitted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service while raising funds for the fire company.

It is always a magical time with a firemen’s carnival and attractions galore. But this year’s centennial auction was truly one for the history books. The crowd watched in awe as record after record fell during some lively bidding, with total proceeds well over last year’s final mark.

“This year’s auction topped all expectations, with over $1 million raised [reportedly $1,009,100], and the highlight was certainly the [record] $100,000 buyback foal!” said a post on the CVFC’s Facebook page.

Foal #56

One hundred foals were up for bid, but the star of the auction (and the new buyback/total auction record) was Foal #56.

A striking bay pinto filly out of Marguerite and believed to be sired by Hidalgo, she was first spotted in the wild on May 14. As a pre-selected buyback, she was “purchased” as a $100,000 donation to CVFC and will therefore be returned to the Virginia side of Assateague Island to help replenish the herd.

Prior to this year, the highest price paid for a buyback foal was $50,000. That record was broken first on July 31 by a $78,000 winning bid for Foal #22—and then came the astounding $100,000 offer for Foal #56.

‘One hundred years. One hundred foals. $100,000!’

The winning bid for Foal #56 came from a group of more than 550 people called the Buyback Friends of the Chincoteague Ponies. Per tradition, they got to name the filly before she is released back into the wild, where she will live the rest of her days under the watchful eye of the CVFC.

“We named her ‘Marnie’ to honor the crew of the Marine Electric that sank off the coast of Assateague 42 years ago. ‘Marnie’ has all the same letters as ‘Marine,’ but in different order!” explained Darcy Cole, a Buyback Friends member who first caught “pony fever” in 2013.

“We were trying to make a symbolic gesture for the 100th Pony Penning,” Cole continued. “When the bid got to about $95,000, my husband stood up and said, ‘One hundred years. One hundred foals. $100,000!’ It was the most exciting moment of the whole auction, and that is saying a lot, because record after record was broken!”

‘Worth every penny’

As the photographers in DSC Photography, Cole and her husband Steve enjoy hiking around Assateague and capturing images of the wild ponies in their natural habitat. In this way, they’ve been documenting each member of this beloved herd, including each new foal.

But Cole said she felt an “especially strong” connection with this particular filly when observing and photographing her from a distance. “[Marnie] was always very comfortable with my presence and even laid down flat for a nap while I was there,” she said. “I even think she recognized me in the auction ring. That doesn’t happen with every foal. 

“She is special and worth every penny of the $100,000 bid! I am so grateful to Buyback Friends for helping us make this happen!”

Take-home record

The record prices for take-home foals were smashed left and right, too.

First came bids for $17,500 for foal #9 and foal #30, followed by $25,000 for foal #32. The final record for a take-home foal was $50,000, which, according to multiple sources, was paid by Virginia’s First Lady Suzanne Youngkin for Foal #28, a black pinto filly out of Tasi by Twist.

Landing page image courtesy of DSC Photography