Apocalypse Helicopter from Assateague Island

[erikzen]

I went to the beach to photograph ponies but instead I found The Hellicoptor



But then it went away and there were beautiful ponies



and cowboys







and the people were happy



But then the Hellicopter came back and we went home

[Frog]

What is this event?
Looks like one of those local things that the rest of the country misses out on.
I like your 2nd and 5th shots best.

[erikzen]

This was part of the 84th Aannual Chincoteague, VA Pony Penning. It is a local event but people travel from all over to see it. We were visiting from New York.

On Assateague Island, a barrier island in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maryland and Virginia, live herds of wild ponies. Every year, the Chincoteague, VA Volunteer Fire Department organizes a "Pony Penning" of the ponies living on the VA side of the island. It encompasses several days during the last week of July.

On Sunday, the "Saltwater Cowboys" round up half of the herd and pen them in on Assateague. Then on Monday, they round up the rest of the herd and move them down the beach to meet the ponies already penned in. The photos are from the Monday event.

On Wednesday, all of the ponies swim accross the channel from Assateague Island to Chincoteague and are herded down Main Street in Chincoteague to the Carnival grounds and held there for two days. On Thursday there is an auction for some of the foals, and on Friday they swim the ponies back to Assateague.

Money from the sale of the foals are used to support the fire department and to maintain the herd. Some foals must be removed to prevent overpopulation. Some foals are "buy backs" and people "own" them but they are returned to the wild with the adult ponies.

It's quite an event and worth seeing at least once, especially if you like horses.

[LightBright]

First and fifth shots are amazing. R44's are great touring helicopters

[starriderrick]

I agree, the first!!! Wow. Apocalyptic...I love the Salt Water Cowboys B/W .Fantastic mood and light.
Thanks for sharing these.

Rick

[kernix]

I'm camping at Assatueague in about 7 weeks - WOOHOO! Can't wait to shoot sunrise and sunsets, bike and swim during the day, then chill on the beach by night with a bon fire and some cold ones.

I really like the 1st two, especially the silhouetted single horse.

[megan]

I especially like the black and white shot. And I just have to say it -
"PONIES!!!" because I'm a chick.

Megan

[erikzen]

Chicks dig ponies!

[CaraRose]

Chicks dig ponies!

Having spent years working in hunter/jumper barns, I can say that this is true (gender gap in a typical stable... 1 guy for every 20 women )

[erikzen]

The sad thing is that I didn't realize this growing up. My mother and sister used to spend all their time at the stables. All through high school I could have been learning how to horseback ride, while literally having a stable of women around me.

[Speed]

Nice series!

We have a similar situation here as well. Shackleford Banks is home to some wild horses (called ponies by the locals) and they do a yearly round up. The horses are given vacinations, checked for diseases, and occassionally some are taken off the island to keep their numbers from getting larger than the island can support.

[CaraRose]

Nice series!

We have a similar situation here as well. Shackleford Banks is home to some wild horses (called ponies by the locals) and they do a yearly round up. The horses are given vacinations, checked for diseases, and occassionally some are taken off the island to keep their numbers from getting larger than the island can support.

Banker ponies. I've seen some great photos of them in the wild.