CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. — Thousands of people gathered in Virginia to watch the wild ponies of Chincoteague compete in their first horse race. annual swim across the Assateague Channel, the 99th year of the popular tradition.
The ponies made the short swim across the canal on Wednesday as the crowd erupted in cheers. Foal No. 6 was crowned “Queen Neptune,” the title given to the be the first to complete the swim, according to WAVY-TV.
The horses were made famous by author Marguerite Henry in the 1947 classic children’s novel “Misty of Chincoteague.”
“Saltwater Cowboys” on horseback round up the ponies, which then swim across the channel and come ashore on the east side of Chincoteague Island. The event, hosted by the Chincoteague Fire Department, includes an auction of several foals, which are sold to help control the herd size and maintain a healthy pony population on Assateague, where the ponies live most of the year. The auction is also the largest annual fundraiser for the fire department, which manages the wild pony herd.
The tradition began in 1925 as a way to raise money for Chincoteague’s volunteer fire department. Interest in pony swimming grew and visitors began to travel from all over the country for the annual event. “Misty of Chincoteague” made the event world famous.