Memorial Day filly related to 'Misty of Chincoteague' needs a name
Waynesboro owner is asking for the public's help
Photos
A descendant of ‘Misty of Chincoteague,’ was born on Memorial Day and is shown with her mother, Stormy Two. Owner Michael Pryor of Waynesboro is seeking the public’s help in naming the black and white pony.
A childhood passion stemming from the well-known Marguerite Henry book “Misty of Chincoteague,” has led Michael Pryor of Waynesboro to a lifetime of pleasure and happiness as owner of the pony descendants of Misty.
On Memorial Day, Pryor got an extra special surprise when a black and white filly, with piercing blue eyes — reminiscent of her late grandfather, Nightmist — was born to Stormy Two and Paul. The filly, that has yet to be named, is a fifth generation descendent of the famous Chincoteague pony, Misty. Pryor is holding a naming contest for the public to help name the filly.
Misty was a real pony born on the island of Assateague, off the shore of Virginia. She and her mother, the Phantom, were rounded up during Chincotague’s annual Pony Penning swim and later became the pony of the Beebe family.
Filly naming contest
The young filly, born on Memorial Day 2012, still needs a name, and Pryor is seeking the public’s help with suggestions. All suggested names must be 25 characters or less in length. Suggestions for the name should include some sort of weather element — since most of Misty’s descendants have weather-related names — and a tie to Memorial Day.
Oldest and youngest
Pryor, the owner of Mountain Shadows Restaurant in Blue Ridge Summit, currently owns the oldest and youngest living descendants of Misty. Gentle Breeze turned 28 in May 2012, and the filly was born on May 28.
“Including the foal, I own 25 ponies right now,” said Pryor. Five of the ponies are not from the Misty line.
“It is cool that for now Mike has the distinction of having the oldest and youngest ponies in the Misty line,” said Michelle Zeigler, who is caretaker of Pryor’s ponies.
“The foal is absolutely amazing, she is super smart and is such a sweetheart,” said Zeigler, who added when you pet her she will lean into you.
The filly’s coat is a mixture of white and black, which Zeigler said there was only a 2 percent chance of her parents producing a foal with that coloring and pattern.
“She (the filly) may be the last pony I keep,” said Pryor, who in the future is looking to downsize his herd.
“Mike’s ponies that are descendants of Misty are such sweet ponies,” said Zeigler.
“The Misty ponies are in more demand than anyone else’s,” Pryor added.
Childhood passion
“I read Marguerite’s books when I was young and I always liked, ‘Stormy Misty’s Foal’ the best,” said Pryor, who added he always wanted to own Stormy when he was older. That dream actually came to fruition in April of 1988, when he became owner of Stormy and had her for four years before her death.
Pryor is the only person in the Misty family pony legend that has had the opportunity to collaborate with Marguerite Henry, who died in 1997 at age 95.
“She was such a unique lady and a sweetheart,” Pryor said of Henry.
Pryor said Henry would call and check in on him and the ponies and she even sent him an autographed copy of his favorite book she penned. Henry wrote: “For Michael, who has taken such good care of Stormy and all of Stormy’s relatives. Thank you so very much.”
Pryor said Henry would call and check in on him and the ponies and she even sent him an autographed copy of his favorite book she penned. Henry wrote: “For Michael, who has taken such good care of Stormy and all of Stormy’s relatives. Thank you so very much.”
Nightmist
Pryor’s friend James Smith will be releasing a book on Nightmist, the filly’s late grandfather, in July. Nightmist was one of Pryor’s favorite Chincoteague ponies that he has owned over the years.
“Nightmist’s mother died so I bottle fed him and he would travel everywhere with me. He was truly a spoiled pony,” said Pryor.
Smith’s Nightmist book is his first non-fiction piece and it tells the life story of Nightmist, who died in May 2009.
“I have been helping Mike with the ponies for 12 years now,” said Smith, who knew Nightmist personally. “He was a gentle stallion, who loved kids.”
Smith added it has been an absolute honor that Pryor provided him the opportunity to write about “one of his favorite ponies.”
Suggestions
Name suggestions for the Memorial Day filly may be sent to Pryor at P.O. Box 183, Blue Ridge Summit, Pa. 17214. No deadline date for submissions has been set. Once the winner of the naming contest is announced, they will have their picture taken with the filly and will receive a copy of the new Nightmist book, along with some of Marguerite Henry’s books on the Chincoteague ponies.
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