CHINCOTEAGUE

CHINCOTEAGUE

No matter how you pronounce it, CHINk-oh-teeg or SHINK-oh-teeg, it is a little spit of

the Eastern Shore of Virginia stretching from the Maryland line to Cape Charles, downstate,

below the canal, oysters and crabs.

Mothers all have stories of the wonders of the wild Chincoteague pony's, how to open

Chicoteague oysters, all that Eastern Shore stuff you need to know. Just remember that

Chincoteague is synonymous with “good” .

Every July, there is the Chincoteague Firemans Carnival , a three day affair,, the main feature

is the pony swim and auction at the town fairgrounds off Main street. The Fireman’s

pony swim, July 1993, at the 68^th annual fair, there were 50,000 people in the audience to

watch 140 and some pony's being herded , at low tide , in to the Assateague channel , which

they swam for 300 yards to the Chincoteague shore, penned up for a vet's inspection and a

rest. After this rest, the pony's are paraded through the village streets to again another pen

to be admired and photographed .

One foal to make the shore first during the swim, is given the name “King Neotune”. This years King Neptune was a wide eyed tan colt of tender months which took six cowboy firemen

more that 20 minutes to catch and brought under control and auctioned off. The next

morning another 74 foals will be sold , an average price, $250. Buyers from as far away as

Wisconsin come with trailers to carry their purchases home.

Day four has the return swim. The mares, stallions and those foals not purchased , are returned

to Assateague for another year of freedom.

This year the temperature was in the high 90's , there are both mosquitoes and horseflies.

This is SHINK-oh-teeg.

Abstract: Harrison H. 2018, Pittsburg Post Gazette, Saturday 31 July 1993, by John G.

Craig, Jr., Post Gazette editor.