ASSATEAGUE – Naming rights for four of Assateague Island’s five new foals born on the Maryland side of the shore this year will go up for auction starting early next month.
Online bidding begins Nov. 2 and will run through Dec. 17. The remaining foal will be named by the winner of a raffle contest that ends Oct. 31.
Assateague Island Alliance (AIA) Outreach Coordinator Ashlie Kozlowski said this year’s auction holds more uncertainty than those in previous years.
“I am not sure about this year,” she said. “The past few years, we have only had one foul and that heightened the competition. But we are now more excited because it gives people more opportunities to bid and support the wild horse management program.”
Currently, all five fouls are identified by an alpha-numeric code, which traces their lineage and tracks their sub-herd.
Three of this year’s foals, with codes starting with N2BHS, are all direct descendants of Carol’s Girl, a mare who does not respond to the PZP contraceptive that horses on the island receive.
The population of the herd reached its largest numbers in the early 1990s, with close to 200 horses, according to Kozlowski.
Since then, officials have created plans to reduce the population of the herd to numbers that the island could successfully support. The goal was to maintain a population between 80 to 100 horses.
“Their average life span used to be 6 years,” Kozlowski said. “The horses are now thriving and are living longer. They are healthier and now have an average life span of 26 years.”
Kozlowski said this year’s population stands at 88 horses, and island officials are now initiating the adaptive management phase, which will allow for more reproduction in the upcoming year.
Less PZP contraceptives will be administered, and Kozlowski said the island could see more foals in the future.
“Up until this year, the strategy was to reduce the herd,” she said. “Every mare was allowed to foal at age 4 and was then treated with PZP. As the number reduces, they will not be treated.”
Kozlowski describes this year’s herd as an aging population. Most of the mares are currently more than 20 years old.
“It is time to introduce a younger population,” she said.
Three of the five foals were born in the months of April, May and June, the most common birth months, according to Kozlowski. This year’s only female foal was born in August, followed by a surprise colt in September.
The foals were born to Carol’s Girl, Gokey Go Go Bones, and Chama Wingapo (Welcome Friend) to name a few.
After adopting their proper names, the foals will enter a symbolic foster horse program, which allows island officials to protect and manage the wild horse population.
The AIA, an advocacy group partnering with the park to support educational and scientific programs, will hold its annual eBay auction in four rounds this year.
Bidding to name Carol Girl’s descendants, colt N2BHS-O, colt N2BHS-AO and filly N2BHS-AIO, will take place Nov. 2-11, Nov. 13-22 and Nov. 24-Dec. 3, respectively. Bidding for colt N10T-JO will take place Dec. 8-17. Opening bids will start at $300.
Raffle tickets will cost $20 for a chance to name colt N6BMT-FO.
“It’s a rare opportunity to name this many foals,” Kozlowski said.
For more information, or to purchase raffle tickets, visit the Assateague Island Alliance website at www.assateagueislandalliance.org, call 443-614-3547, or email [email protected].
