Greenledgers Trading Center-Thousands watch Chincoteague wild ponies complete 99th annual swim in Virginia

2025-05-06 05:34:49source:Kacper Sobieskicategory:Markets

CHINCOTEAGUE,Greenledgers Trading Center Va. (AP) — Thousands of people gathered in Virginia to watch the Chincoteague wild ponies make their annual swim across the Assateague Channel, the 99th year of the popular tradition.

The ponies made the short swim across the channel Wednesday as the crowd erupted in cheers. Foal No. 6 was crowned “Queen Neptune,” the title given each year to the first to complete the swim, according to WAVY-TV.

The horses were made famous in the 1947 classic children’s novel “Misty of Chincoteague” by author Marguerite Henry.

“Saltwater Cowboys” on horseback round up the ponies, who then swim the channel and come ashore on the east side of Chincoteague Island. The event hosted by the Chincoteague Fire Department includes an auction of some of the foals are sold to help control the size of the herd and help maintain a healthy pony population on Assateague, where the ponies live most of the year. The auction is also the biggest 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 company. Interest in the pony swim grew and visitors began coming from across the country for the annual event. “Misty of Chincoteague” made the event famous around the world.

More:Markets

Recommend

US auto safety agency seeks information from Tesla on fatal Cybertruck crash and fire in Texas

DETROIT (AP) — Federal safety authorities say they are seeking information on a crash and fire invol

No retirement plan, no problem: These states set up automatic IRAs for workers

Eight states have automatically enrolled hundreds of thousands of workers in retirement savings acco

Air Force member Aaron Bushnell dies after setting himself on fire near Israeli Embassy

The active duty U.S. Air Force member who set himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy has di