Story and Photos by Susan Friedland
For any horse, visiting a showground for the first time is a momentous, and sometimes stressful, occasion. However, two born-in-the wild Chincoteague Pony fillies hopped off a horse trailer at World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida, for Breyer Fun Day, May 17, and took their new surroundings and adoring fans all in stride. The purpose of the pairs’ first trip away from their farm was to represent a wild-roaming Chincoteague stallion family member newly minted as a Breyer model horse.
The fillies owned by Margo Gulbranson, a lifelong Misty of Chincoteague fan and owner of Saddle Up Clothing Company, were guests of Mr. Pickles and Sailor Bear Toy Shoppe, host of the event which gave attendees the opportunity to meet and touch a unique breed with a storied history—some believe the ponies are descendants of horses who survived a 1750 Spanish shipwreck. Besides petting the ponies, children and adults had the chance to paint model horses, shop for their favorite Breyers, and connect with equestrian author Susan Friedland who was signing her Marguerite Henry fangirl memoir, Marguerite, Misty and Me.
Surfer’s Harmony, a 2-year-old smoky black pony with a blaze, was sired by Surfer’s Riptide, the fan-favorite wild stallion now immortalized as a 2025 Breyer model. A portion of the Breyer Riptide sales benefit the Museum of Chincoteague and the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. Riptide is a dark chestnut pony with chrome, sporting a flaxen mane and a forelock spilling halfway down his face. He lives on the southern end of Assateague Island with his band of eight mares, including Harmony’s buckskin dam, Liz’s Serenity.
Dreamer’s Hope, Harmony’s 3-year-old pasture mate, is a 14 hand chestnut sired by Ken out of Dreamer’s Gift. Hope’s two chestnut parents live in the remote northern Assateague range, which requires a long hike or a boat ride for pony seekers to view the bands. Local pony enthusiasts keep tabs on the wild herd’s behavior, documenting family units and new foals. There’s even a dedicated Chincoteague Pony Pedigree Database with records going back to the 1940s with Misty of Chincoteague’s sire and dam, Pied Piper and Phantom.The wild ponies are owned and managed by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and have names…