The Pony Education Fund

The National Chincoteague Pony Association was formed in the early 1980�s with the mission of increasing public awareness and knowledge (especially among children) of the Chincoteague Pony, a rare and unusual breed of horse that developed in the wild on the mid Atlantic Coast islands of Assateague and Chincoteague over the past 400 years. In order to help keep the breed pure and viable The Association created the first official Registry for pure bred Chincoteague Ponies and then took over management of the small domesticated herd that had been assembled for breeding purposes in the mid 1970�s.

The Association�s web site was developed in 1995 and has provided world wide exposure and education about these wonderful animals. The web site is visited frequently (500,000 average visits per month) by people throughout the world ( 96 countries at last count).

The Chincoteague Pony Registry, a non-profit organization, has provided a vehicle for maintaining the breed�s purity and achieving world wide recognition as a separate and distinct breed of horse.

The NCPA has sold the offspring of its domesticated herd to private parties in the western U.S. and Canada as a way of increasing the long term viability of the breed and providing some revenue to offset the costs of maintaining the Bellingham herd. Between four and six foals are sold each year. In addition to selling pure bred Chincoteague Ponies the Association raises additional funds by charging a fee for registering each pony, by providing annual memberships for a nominal fee, by selling a selection of Chincoteague memorabilia through our web site, and by accepting donations from individuals.

Marguerite Henry, the renowned children�s author, wrote several books about the Chincoteague Ponies with the most famous being Misty of Chincoteague. The NCPA has donated copies of her works to the public school libraries in Bellingham and Whatcom County so that local school children may have access to these wonderful and heart-warming stories.

The Association�s biggest project is our annual Open House. At this event the general public has the opportunity to meet the ponies up close and learn all about this unique breed. Trainers are on hand to provide demonstrations and refreshments are available so that families can enjoy a day on the farm.

Our community benefits in many ways from the local presence of the NCPA and the Bellingham herd. Tours for groups such as the handicapped and the aged and our annual Open House provide an attraction for the residents of all ages as well as tourists who may be partaking of the various attractions in the Pacific Northwest offers.

The donation of Marguerite Henry books to local schools provides our children with access to stories that are a delight and will thus encourage them to read. By providing The Association�s support to horse centered youth programs such as 4 H we help strengthen these important programs. Bellingham and Whatcom County also obtain world wide exposure via our frequently visited web site.

In order to continue and expand our efforts to preserve this unique piece of our American heritage we will be seeking additional sources of revenue including an expanded list of individual and corporate donors as well as corporate grants to help offset the costs specifically associated with our annual Open House.

The National Chincoteague Pony Association