Pony Swim & Auction is a homecoming event. It brings those born and raised on Chincoteague Island back to visit. It brings families that have been coming for the festivities for decades back. It brings those that read Misty of Chincoteague when they were a child or have read it to their children and grandchildren. It brings those that have dreamed of visiting to experience this event like no other to accomplish a bucket list item.
Whatever the reason for your visit, we look forward to welcoming you to our little island to experience this world-famous event steeped in tradition with Saltwater Cowboys and wild Chincoteague Ponies, which are also the official Pony of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
We want to make your visit most memorable, so download our Pony Swim guide or stop in the Chamber office, 6733 Maddox Boulevard, to pick up a hard copy for the schedule of events, helpful hints, and shuttle map.
The Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce is the official tourism office of the Town of Chincoteague and a Destination Marketing Organization with Virginia Tourism Corporation.
Pony Swim, or Pony Penning, as many call it, is a week-long tradition consisting of several special events; the first being the South Herd Roundup. Typically held the Saturday before Pony Swim, this year's roundup will be on July 20 at 7am. (Time is tentative depending on weather, so please check our website/Facebook page and the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company Facebook page for updates.)
The Saltwater Cowboys, on horseback, will begin near the Assateague Lighthouse on the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and lead the Chincoteague Ponies through the woods and marsh into the south corral at the head of the Woodland Trail.
Spectators can park near the marsh overlook (past the lighthouse on the right after the sharp left bend) on Beach Road and watch as the ponies come across the marsh or near the Woodland Trail to see the ponies come through the shoot into the corral. Please note: If you park in the Woodland Trail parking lot, be prepared to remain there until the roundup is complete, as the shoot closes off the parking lot entrance.
The roundup takes about an hour and a half to complete, depending on how cooperative the ponies are! Bring your camera, bug spray, a drink to stay hydrated, and a chair. Stay and enjoy watching the ponies up close as the stallions sort out their bands and foals take a much-needed nap!
The North Herd Roundup will take place on Sunday, July 21 and begin around 6am (again time is weather dependent). The Saltwater Cowboys will round up the northern herd of ponies and corral them in the north pen. This roundup takes about 5-6 hours due to a larger herd size and acreage to be covered. Parking is available at the Wildlife Loop parking lot. The public is allowed to walk up the Service Road to the cattle grate at any time of the day but please be aware that this requires a three-mile walk one way (6 miles round trip) on a gravel road. Access farther north will be permitted after round up activities are completed.
The Beach Walk is a mystical event! There is something about the sound of waves crashing on shore, a salty breeze blowing, and Saltwater Cowboys on horseback leading the north herd Chincoteague Ponies down the beach through a morning mist that is burning off from the rising sun. It is just that special!
On Monday, the north herd ponies will leave the northern corral on Assateague Island at 6am, led by the Saltwater Cowboys. They will cross the island and then walk down the beach to the delight of onlookers with a destination of the south herd corral. Awaiting their arrival will be the south herd ponies, which arrived in the corral on Saturday.
Attendees can bike or drive over to the Beach Walk, with the vehicular gate on the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge opening at 5am. Park at the Wildlife Loop and walk or bike out to Swan Cove Trail for a quieter experience or at the beach lots to find your favorite spot north of the parking area. Parking will fill up, so plan appropriately. The ponies usually arrive at the beach parking lot around 7am.
After the walk is over, many attendees head back to their accommodation for a morning nap or to eat breakfast, but it is also an extremely pleasant time to be at the beach. Pack a chair and cooler with your breakfast and enjoy the morning with your toes in the sand at the Assateague Island National Seashore.
The ponies will be in the southern corral until Wednesday morning, so there is plenty of time to see the herd, pick out your favorite foal, and see vet checks take place on Tuesday. At that time, each pony will get a thorough exam by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company’s dedicated veterinary staff to make sure it is safe for them to make the swim and buyback ponies will be chosen. Any ponies not cleared to swim due to age, pregnancy, injury, etc. will be trailered over to the carnival grounds.
The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company maintains a permit with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, to graze 150 Chincoteague Ponies on the refuge each year. This number of ponies was determined to ensure both the north and south herds have ample acreage filled with salt marsh grass to graze on and fresh water ponds to drink from for their health and wellbeing.
During foaling season, the number of ponies will exceed that amount, thus the need for the annual Pony Swim & Auction. The fire company, who always has close watch on the herds, will determine if any ponies passed during the year and what new foal bloodlines would be beneficial to the herd for its longevity.
These foals are called buyback ponies and will be auctioned the day after the Pony Swim along with the other foals. The highest bidder of a buyback foal receives a photo op and naming rights to the pony but fully understands prior to bidding that the pony is a donation back to the fire company to live its life on Assateague Island with hopes that it will contribute to the legacy of the Chincoteague Pony herd.
Over the years, pony lovers have banded together and pool their money each year to contribute to this legacy. Buyback ponies have historically brought the highest bids at auction time. As of 2023, the highest bid for a buyback pony is $43,000! Ultimately, this money goes back to the care of the ponies; including veterinary care and hay for cold winter months.
The big day is finally here! The Saltwater Cowboys are saddled up, Veteran’s Memorial Park and Pony Swim Lane are filled with eager onlookers, charter boats and kayaks line the water, and the Chincoteague Ponies sense something special is in the air.
The Town of Chincoteague offers free shuttle bus service beginning at 7am to those staying on the island and day trippers with drop-off at Veteran’s Memorial Park. Come prepared for hours in the summer sun with something to drink but only bring what can fit on your person, as thousands need to be transported on the buses in a very short time.
The ponies will be led from the southern corral, down Beach Road, and through the marsh to the waterfront where they will then rest. The US Coast Guard will monitor the tide and when it becomes slack, the short period of time when the tide doesn’t move in or out, they will set off an orange flare as a signal to the Saltwater Cowboys to make their final push to Horse Marsh Point and allow the ponies into the water. This is greeted by loud cheers by the crowd, as they know Pony Swim is almost here.
Attendees at Veteran’s Memorial Park will be able to view the swim at a distance and watch live coverage on a large Jumbotron screen, courtesy of the Town of Chincoteague. Those at Pony Swim Lane, which is a short walk from the park, will be offered a close-up view of the ponies when they arrive on Chincoteague eager to happily graze on tall salt marsh grass. The lane is marsh with oyster shells, so boots or old shoes that stay secured on your feet are highly recommended.
The first foal ashore, not already denoted at a buyback, is named King/Queen Neptune. Raffle tickets for Neptune go on sale the week before at the carnival Information Stand for $1 each with limited tickets sold. The winner will be drawn Wednesday evening at the carnival band stand at 7:30pm. You must be present to win.
After the swim, the ponies will rest at Pony Swim Lane for approx. 45-minutes before they begin their leisurely walk to the carnival grounds.
Visit ChincoteagueChamber.com for full details and to download our Pony Swim guide which includes the schedule of events and shuttle bus/pony parade map; or stop in the Chamber office, 6733 Maddox Boulevard, to pick up a hard copy.
While the Chincoteague Ponies rest at Pony Swim Lane, attendees are on the move! Some will load back on the shuttle buses to head back to their accommodation/vehicle or to the carnival grounds. Others will walk to the carnival grounds to await the ponies’ arrival or to find their favorite spot on the Pony Parade route.
Once rested, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and Saltwater Cowboys will lead the ponies through the streets of Chincoteague Island to the carnival ground corral. Pony Swim Lane, Ridge Road, Beebe Road, and Main Street are lined with those eager to get a close-up view of the ponies and some charter boat cruises will follow the parade up Main Street to watch at a distance.
The ponies are lead at a leisurely pace with the parade taking about an hour to complete. You never know when a pony will get excited and break from the herd to wander through a yard or two before being brought back to the group. People cheer, photos are taken, Saltwater Cowboys names are shouted out above the crowd, and when the parade nears the carnival grounds, the crowds get bigger, and the cheers get louder.
The Saltwater Cowboys part after entering the corral gate and the ponies rush in. Stallions immediately begin to collect their bands and maybe even try to steal a mare from another stallion. The ponies will eventually settle down once they realize there is grass to eat, water to drink, and shade to enjoy. Foals have had a busy day and will soon settle down to nap.
The ponies will remain in the corral until after the Pony Auction on Thursday, so there is plenty of opportunity to enjoy their presence, take photos of your favorite ones, and dream about which foal you may take home tomorrow.
The Carnival Grounds will be buzzing with excitement early on Thursday morning, as the Pony Auction begins soon. Attendees will find the perfect spot to set their chairs and to take a final look at the foal they want to bid on. It will be another hot day, so bring beverages to stay hydrated.
Some have dreamed of owning a Chincoteague Pony since the first time they read Misty of Chincoteague. Be it a young child who has diligently saved their allowance and birthday money or a woman who has waited decades for this opportunity, each person is experiencing a roller coaster of emotions from nerves to excitement. Will their dreams of owning a Chincoteague Pony finally come true?
As the first foal is brought out, the crowd enthusiastically cheers but quickly becomes attentive to the auctioneer’s fast-paced chant. The auction is underway! There is no registration for the in-person auction; just raise your hand! Online bidding will take place simultaneously for those unable to attend and pre-registration is required. The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company will provide the official auction link a few days prior.
The auction normally lasts about 4 hours but will depend on the number of ponies being auctioned. Each foal brings new excitement and anticipation to whether it will be a record-breaking pony. The buybacks bring thrill and delight all their own, as attendees know they have been specially chosen to preserve the legacy of the herd. Will the current buyback record made in 2023 of $45,000 be broken? Only time will tell.
As the Pony Auction comes to a close, dreams have come true for many and for others, those dreams will have to wait another year. Weaned foals will soon go to their new homes and the rest will remain with their mares until fall roundup.
Visit ChincoteagueChamber.com/trolley-schedule to learn more about trolley stops and ChincoteagueChamber.com/auction-day for full auction details, helpful hints, and to view over 20 years of auction statistics.
As Friday dawns, the carnival grounds are quieter as many foals have already headed to their new homes and others will be leaving shortly. The north herd ponies have been trailered back to their grazing grounds on Assateague Island, VA and only the south herd ponies remain.
The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company usually announces at Thursday’s auction what time these ponies will leave the carnival grounds to make their voyage back home. The Saltwater Cowboys will once again lead the ponies through the streets of Chincoteague Island – Main Street to Beebe Road, Ridge Road, and finally Pony Swim Lane.
The event draws a smaller crowd, but the Saltwater Cowboys and ponies will still be greeted by eager onlookers along the parade route, in the marsh at Pony Swim Lane, and in the water on charter boats and kayak tours. You can also watch from Veteran’s Memorial Park. The Town of Chincoteague will offer free trolley service from 8am – 1pm with stops along the route.
Unlike the Pony Swim, the ponies will not rest at Pony Swim Lane when they arrive but will continue right into the water and swim across the Assateague Channel back to Assateague Island and their southern grazing grounds.
The Chincoteague Ponies are back home and will remain on Assateague Island until next year’s Pony Swim. The south herd grazing area is easily accessible from Beach Road with a gravel pull off area convenient to park your bike or vehicle to take pictures and from the observation platform on the Woodland Trail. The north herd grazes farther north than public access allows so booking a boat cruise or kayak tour with one of our skilled and knowledgeable captains and guides is a wonderful way to enjoy the ponies in their natural element, learn a bit about our history and nature, and to search for your favorite pony.
The Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce is the official tourism office of the Town of Chincoteague and a Destination Marketing Organization with Virginia Tourism Corporation.
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