Celebrating 100 Years of the Chincoteague Pony Swim
(Pequannock, NJ— July 23, 2025) — In time for 100th anniversary of one of the country’s most unique equine events, Breyer honors a popular Chincoteague Pony with a portrait model in his likeness. A 1:9 scale replica of stallion Surfer’s Riptide is now available from Breyer retailers around the world.
First published in 1947, Marguerite Henry’s Newbery Medal-winning novel Misty of Chincoteague introduced thousands of young readers to Virginia’s Chincoteague and Assateague Islands and the unique herd of semi-feral ponies that live there. The boost in publicity helped make “Pony Penning Day” an annual destination event. On the last Wednesday of each July, “saltwater cowboys” guide the herd of approximately 150 ponies from Assateague to the Chincoteague fairgrounds, where they are paraded through the streets and foals are auctioned off to the highest bidder. This annual tradition helps maintain the herd size and raises money for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company’s ongoing care and management of the herd.
Breyer has had a longstanding relationship with Marguerite Henry which began with a model of Misty in 1972. With over 50 years of continuous production, Misty has gone on to become the longest-running Breyer model of all time and continues to be a bestseller. Many of Misty’s descendants with Henry stories of their own, such as Stormy and Phantom Wings, have also been honored with their own Breyer models.
A son of fan-favorite pony Surfer Dude, Surfer’s Riptide has since become an icon of the Assateague herd in his own right. Riptide was a “buyback” foal, meaning he was auctioned with the stipulation that he was to be donated back to the herd to live out his life. He has since sired many foals, including a handful with lineage that can be traced back to the real “Misty” that inspired Henry’s novel.
A portion of the proceeds from each Surfer’s Riptide model will benefit both the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and the Museum of Chincoteague. The latter received significant publicity in 2023 on the heels of its “Save the Beebe Ranch” campaign. When Chincoteague’s Beebe Ranch, the historical home of Misty and many of her descendants, was at risk of being sold for redevelopment, the Museum held a successful fundraising campaign to purchase the property and maintain it for generations to come.
Founded in 1950 in Chicago, Illinois, Breyer Animal Creations’ storied history traces back to an F.W. Woolworth commission to create a horse statue to adorn a mantel clock. When a deluge of orders poured in for the horse only—now known as the #57 Western Horse—Breyer took the bit and ran. Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, Breyer has championed the horse and animals for decades.
# # #
About Breyer Animal Creations®
One of America’s most iconic equestrian brands, Breyer Animal Creations is a division of Reeves International, Inc., a family-owned, NJ-based toy manufacturer and distributor, honored with nation’s Horse Industry Vision Award, and finalist for the Toy Hall of Fame. Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, Breyer is known for BreyerFest, its annual hands-on horse festival that takes place in Kentucky and virtually each July. Breyer’s dedication to creating authentic, realistic model horses for play, collecting and crafting inspires a vibrant, devoted international community that considers Breyer far more than a brand—it’s the gateway to the horse world!
Learn more at www.BreyerHorses.com
-30-
Media Contact:
Stephanie Macejko
cell: 973-714-4923
smacejko@reevesintl.com