About the Chincoteague Pony Swim

DESCRIPTION:

The annual Chincoteague Pony Swim and Roundup in Chincoteague, Virginia, captures national and local interest as it continues to be a unique spectacle since 1925. Marguerite Henry's popular children's novel "Misty of Chincoteague" details this event.

Chincoteague ponies, also known as Assateague horses, are wild horses that inhabit Assateague Island, a 37-mile-long barrier island off the coast of Virginia and Maryland. The pony roundup serves as a population control mechanism and a fundraiser for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which manages the herds on the Virginia side of the island.

Beginning on Saturday in the lead-up to the swim, Saltwater Cowboys, a group of local volunteers, guide the wild ponies from the various parts of Assateague Island into a central pen. The roundup takes place over several days, with the actual swim occurring on the Wednesday of the event.

At slack tide (the calm water between tides), the Saltwater Cowboys guide the ponies to swim across the channel from Assateague to Chincoteague Island. The quarter-mile-long swim (10 laps in an Olympic pool) typically takes the ponies about five to ten minutes to complete. Spectators gather to witness this spectacle, and the first foal to touch land is named the "King" or "Queen." This foal is given away in a raffle later in the day.

On the day following the swim, an auction takes place. Many of the foals born that year are sold to bidders from around the world, which helps manage the herd population and raises funds for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. Several ponies receive a "buyback" designation. A bidder can win the auction for a buyback pony, earning the privilege of naming the pony, but the pony itself is returned to Assateague to live out its life in the wild, helping to replenish the herd.

The event concludes with the ponies swimming back to Assateague on Friday, where they are released to roam freely until the following year's event.

For Chincoteague and its visitors, the pony swim and roundup is more than a local custom — it symbolizes community spirit, a celebration of history, and a unique wildlife management strategy. It also provides a considerable economic boost, affectionately referred to as "Chincoteague Christmas," to the local vendors.

Three strategically placed webcams allow international visitors to watch the pony swim live as it happens. Access those here: https://www.chincoteague.com/webcams.html.

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