CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. - The Chincoteague ponies underwent their annual health checks Tuesday ahead of their iconic swim across the Assateague Channel, scheduled for Wednesday from 7 to 9 a.m.
Visitors like Bonnie and Randy Coddington have been coming to the event for more than four decades — not just for the swim, but for all the traditions that surround it. “This week is the most exciting week with them rounding them up and swimming,” Bonnie said. “Doing the vet checks, the auction.”
This year’s event carries extra meaning as it marks the 100th anniversary of Chincoteague’s famous Pony Penning — a celebration that draws thousands of spectators each summer. “You’re witnessing history,” said Laurie Walton, a volunteer helping with the roundup. “This is our 100th year doing pony penning.”
On Tuesday, ponies from the southern herd were rounded up and corralled, where they were checked by veterinarians and prepped for the big swim. The roundup is handled by the Saltwater Cowboys — local volunteers from the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company who manage the pony herd and guide them safely through the swim.
At the corral, foals were also selected for the annual auction. Six of them were designated as “buybacks,” meaning they will return to the wild herd after the auction and live out their lives on Assateague.
“If they have a red dot on them, they come up for auction,” Walton explained.
“If they have a red dot on them, they come up for auction,” Walton explained. “Whoever gets the winning bid gets to name it, they give it back to the fire department and they get a tax write-off.”
Ponies not marked as buybacks will be auctioned off to new homes — a practice that helps manage the size of the herd while keeping the tradition alive. Some ponies go to families like the Coddingtons, who adopted their first in the 1990s.
For now, the ponies are enjoying sunshine and rest — but by Wednesday morning, they’ll be splashing across the channel toward Chincoteague Island in one of the Eastern Shore’s most beloved traditions.
By Wednesday morning, they’ll be splashing across the channel toward Chincoteague Island in one of the Eastern Shore’s most beloved traditions.
If you’re hoping to catch the swim yourself, there’s still time to make your way to the island and witness a piece of history.