CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. (WAVY) — Except for a few sprinkles, it was a pleasant July afternoon for ponies and people at Chincoteague’s 99th annual Pony Swim.
Unlike some past swims under sweltering heat, it was about 80 degrees and overcast as the ponies (including many tiny foals) made their way across from Assateague Island to Chincoteague during slack tide.
The ponies got into the water around 12:45 p.m. and made the short, roughly five-minute swim without a hitch.
WAVY photojournalist Walter Hildebrand was there to capture the sights and sounds of the crowd and the ponies.
Watch above: Sights and sounds from the 2024 Chincoteague Pony Swim
Dana Byil and her friend Tammy were among the thousands in attendance on Wednesday. They came all the way from Huntsville, Texas, and got to the marsh by 6 a.m.
“We we have talked about this for years, Tammy said. “And as our kids were growing up, we always wanted to bring our kids and it just never happened. But I think it was more of a love for us as adults. And so living out the dream, living the book. Everybody wants Misty.”
It was a memory they’ll never forget.
“That was great. That was worth the wait. That was worth the early morning,” Tammy said.
Newcomer Melissa Manuel meanwhile got a great spot to watch, but it ended up costing her one of her shoes.
“I was making my way out to have a best seat possible and I stepped in the mud and got stuck, sucked in, and I tried to pull my foot out and no shoe. I went back for it. No luck. But I’m just glad to be here. My first time, I wanted to get a good spot as possible.”
The first foal to reach the shore was foal No. 6, the daughter of Clara and Thunderbolt, which was named Queen Neptune. The title (King Neptune for boys) is given each year to the first foal to make it across.
After the ponies came ashore, Chincoteague’s Saltwater Cowboys led them down to the town’s carnival grounds. That’s where some of the herd will be auctioned off on Thursday to help maintain a healthy pony population on Assateague, where the ponies live most of the year.
However, while weather cooperated for the swim, Thursday’s pony auction could see rain and potential thunderstorms. That’s currently scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon.
The pony swim is world famous thanks to Marguerite Henry’s 1947 book “Misty of Chincoteague,” which was also made into a movie. The Beebe Ranch in the book, where Misty lived and rode out the famous Ash Wednesday storm of 1962, is being restored after a major fundraising push.
WBOC‘s Chopper 16 also got a bird’s eye view and shared the footage with WAVY. You can check out their extensive coverage here.