Virginia designates Chincoteague Island pony as official state horse

Virginia lawmakers approved a bill Tuesday, designating the Chincoteague Island pony as the commonwealth’s official pony.

The bill was introduced by Republican state representative Robert Bloxom Jr., a resident of Virginia’s Eastern Shore, where Chincoteague Island is located.

“This is probably the most important bill of this legislative session. It is the most important event,” Bloxom told the House of Representatives last Friday.

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The delegate gave a brief history of the Chincoteague pony, which he called a “special breed” that has lived and roamed wild on Assateague Island for hundreds of years.

Stories passed down through generations link the horses to an old Spanish galleon that ran aground on Assateague Island in the 1700s.

Chincoteague ponies gallop into the carl after the 90th annual Chincoteague Pony Swim on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at the Chincoteague Carnival Grounds. A portion of the pony herd will be auctioned off Thursday to benefit the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which owns and maintains it. the herd (J Diem/The Daily Times via AP)

Bloxom said DNA testing was done on the herd, which linked the ponies to Spanish origin.

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For the past 98 years, Chincoteague Island has had a pony swim event.

“This is where the ponies are taken to Chincoteague Island for a swim every morning on the last Wednesday in July,” Bloxom said.

Once on Chincoteague, some of the bush is auctioned off, not only to control herd size, but also to bring in money for the Chincoteague Island Volunteer Fire Department.

July 29, 2015: A pair of Chincoteague ponies sails the 90th annual Chincoteague Pony Swim through Assateague Channel to Chincoteague Island, Va. (AP)

The department provides fire and ambulance services to approximately 3,000 Chincoteague Island residents.

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Last year, Bloxom said, the auction raised more than $400,000.

The pony swim was made famous by the 1947 book “Misty of Chincoteague” by Marguerite Henry and later turned into a movie in 1961.

Bloxom told the Speaker of the House that he hoped he could see the importance of naming the Chincoteague pony the state pony.

“It’s time for the commonwealth pony to step up and give Chincoteague’s heritage the recognition it deserves,” Bloxom said.

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Delegate William C. Wampler III, a Republican from Abingdon, Virginia, said he believed the current state pony was in Grayson County and wondered if the county’s delegate would defend its current position as state pony. wants But there was silence in the room.

“I’ll put my auction up against his, which I’m not sure will happen any day,” Bloxom said. “I’ll put my saltwater cowboys to herd my herd before they run wild in the mountains and never graze.”

At the end of the debate, several delegates threw jokes in the ring, including Republican House Representative Tony Wilt of Rockingham, who asked if anyone wanted to vote against the measure, if the answer was “no.”

When the matter came up for a vote on Tuesday, House delegates approved the measure 93-7.