Chincoteague, VA — On July 27 and 28, tens of thousands of people will flock to Chincoteague Island to watch the 91st annual Pony Swim and Pony Penning. This event is conducted annually to manage the size of the herd of wild ponies, to provide veterinary care to the ponies, and to raise funds for the Chincoteague Island Volunteer Fire Department. The Chincoteague Post Office will offer special cachets and post cards to commemorate the occasion. A special postmark will be applied to the commemorative envelopes.

“As Chincoteague Postmaster and Stamp Collector I look forward to this event every year. You get to meet people from all over the country.  The Chincoteague Post Office employees are happy to be part of an incredible event,” said Postmaster Christine Dore’.

In keeping with tradition, a design contest was conducted which was opened to all Chincoteague Island school students. The students submitted their artwork for the special postmark commemorating each day of the Pony Penning event.  This year’s postmark design winners Cameron Lafayette and Ayush Gandhi will make an appearance at the mobile postal unit on the carnival ground to autograph the cachet.

“Hosting the Art contest in the local schools allows us to encourage our future generations to express themselves through their artwork,” said Dore’. 

This year, the saltwater cowboy and horse featured on the cachet is Wesley Bloxom Sr., and his horse Dixie.

There is a limited supply of cachets and post cards for sale.  The pictorial postmarks can be applied at no charge to souvenir post cards or envelopes which bear First-Class postage. The postmarks will bear the date on which they are applied. The National Parks Stamp pane, which includes a stamp depicting the wild ponies of Assateague Island National Seashore, will also, be available for sale at mobile unit. This stamp is one of 16 stamps on the pane which feature images of National Parks in commemoration of the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary.

Those who are unable to attend the annual event and who would like the pictorial postmarks are invited to send a self-addressed envelope containing envelopes or postcards of their choice with postage applied. Place this self-addressed envelope inside a larger envelope and mail it to: Ponying Penning, Postmaster, PO Box 9998, Chincoteague, VA 23336-9998.  Requests must specify the pictorial postmark date to be applied to each envelope or card. All mail-in requests for cancellations must be submitted by: Pony Swim cancellation October 27, 2016 and Penning cancellation October 28, 2016.  

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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