CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. — Visitors outnumbered residents in Chincoteague, Virginia this week. That's because people gathered along the Eastern Shore for what they claim is one of the most unique traditions in the United States: the pony swim. The pony swim, and all that goes with it, has been a staple in the area for the past 99 years.
For many making the trip, the first stop was Assateague Island to get a good look at the 150 wild adult ponies and more than 90 foals that were rounded up early in the week.
"Just to see them all and loving them. I hike out here many miles sometimes to see them," said Linda Doering, of Laurel, Maryland.
Watch: Ponies embark on Chincoteague Island's 99th annual pony swim
Some plan to take one home.
"And I never owned my own horse but I have been working and riding almost 20 years taking care of other people's horses and I am ready for my own," said Elizabeth Juba of Rush, New York.
"I use the horses for people that have anxiety, depression, PTSD, that type of thing, and we have one Chincoteague on the property right now and we're looking for the next one," said Dr. Allison Newman of East Liberty, Ohio.
Others hope to bid on a Buy Back so they can name a pony before it returns to the herd. That way they can visit again and again.
Watch: Drone video shows Chincoteague Island’s 99th annual pony swim
"[When I am out here] I look for the very first pony we bought which was a pony named Blue Moon," said Dotty Garrison of Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Wednesday, the ponies were ready to swim from Assateague to Chincoteague. Folks lined the shore and crowded onto boats and kayaks to watch.
It was especially exciting for first-time watchers, like Russell Bland who was visiting from England.
Watch: Annual Chincoteague Island Pony Swim draws large crowd
"We've come over to America at least 20 times in the last 30 years. We've heard lots about it and we think it's going to be really exciting," said Bland.
With a signal from the coast guard at slack tide, the Saltwater Cowboys and the ponies sprung into action.
"The cowboys will herd the ponies into the water and they will swim across the channel over to Chincoteague. After they do that they will rest and they will bring the ponies down Pony Swim Lane then they will parade through town to the Carnival Grounds," explained Evelyn Shotwell, executive director at Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce.
Watch: The Chincoteague Island Pony Swim: A News 3 Digital Documentary
Shotwell explains safety's taken into account too.
"Precautions are made by the fire company when they round them up. They know the ponies, they assess them, they check them, the vets check them. So any that are questionable do not swim. They trailer them over to be with the rest of the herd and then they trailer them back," said Shotwell. "During the swim there are fire company people in boats that are swimming along, rowing along with the ponies. They're looking for any pony that's in distress whether that would be a foal or a full grown adult, any pony that's having any sort of difficulty. I have seen them scoop the ponies up out of the water and put them in the boats but that rarely ever happens. Their safety is of upmost importance throughout the whole event."
"And it really goes a long ways as far as not having any issues. Not having any problems and making sure the event keeps on going, hopefully, for years and years and years to come," added Hunter Leonard, cowboy/public relations officer for the volunteer fire department.
After the parade through town, some ponies will be up for auction. It's a way to control the herd's population and help raise money for the volunteer fire department.
"This is our lifeblood for the whole year. We really wouldn't survive if we took this away," said Leonard. "You not only have that, but you have the carnival that goes on here. That is also a sustenance thing. We have very little tax money that comes in for us, so for our fire department to be as well-equipped and as large as it is and to be able to support the community like we do this is hugely instrumental in that."
To the town, that's not the only benefit.
"It's also a huge economic boost to economy of the entire island," said Shotwell.
She adds that the area sees more business pony swim week than they usually do the first quarter of the year.
"So, we happen to be open year-round which is a good thing, but obviously we are busiest when the schools are out, mid-June to Labor Day, and this week is in particular is probably one of the busiest weeks because every day is a Saturday with Pony Penning week," explained Kelly Conklin, owner of Island Creamery.
Though for many the ponies mean so much more.
"The pony swim means a lot to Chincoteague Island. It's a time a lot of people refer to as Christmas in July. It's a homecoming. We have lots of families that will come home to visit during the pony swim and see family they haven't seen since last year maybe," said Shotwell.
"[It] is just the total uniqueness of small town carnivals which are disappearing across the country. There are very few left on the peninsula and even more than that pony penning is such a piece of Americana. There's just nothing else like it in the country, or in the world really," said Conklin.
This year's swim was safe and successful according to the Saltwater Cowboys. They hope to keep the tradition going for years to come.
