Posted by on Tuesday June 16th, 2009 Applications for the 2009 Pony Auction must be received by May 15. Please take time to meet our 2008 winners!
The Feather Fund family had another successful year at Pony Penning. Two applicants were selected in advance, based on their essays, horse experience and commitment to their goal. Nathan Turrell of Norwich, NY and brother and sister, Bethany and Travis Ward of Elkton, MD met us at Pony Penning. They spent the days before the auction looking over the foals and writing down the numbers of those they liked best.
Nathan Turrell immediately gravitated toward a lovely chestnut pinto that reminded me of Seafeather, only chestnut instead of bay. After checking out the ponies in the pen he marked this one as his number one pick.
 His pick was one of the early ones out. Prices on foals were lower than ever and we were able to get this lovely colt for a stunning $750! Nathan named him Eleazar's Island Feather. Eleazar means, "The Lord will help."
 Nathan's mom, Rhonda said, "Nathan spent every break time in the trailer touching his new buddy and Eleazar followed Nathan right off the trailer after he let him put a halter on him" she said watching the foal follow Nathan off the trailer made her think this colt was supposed to be with this boy!
 Nathan had made a full fledged friend by nightfall. Eleazar fell asleep with his head in Nathan's lap!
 Travis and Bethany Ward applied for a foal together. Two of eight children, they'd leased a pony and had shown goats in 4-H. They dreamed of a foal and they liked the lighter colored ones the best. Although they had a long list of foals written down, a tiny buckskin was the first to win them over in the auction ring.
 Travis and Bethany got the little buckskin colt, one of Tornado's last babies. Tornado was a well-known herd sire on the island, producing top selling palomino and buckskin pinto foals for the fire company year after year. After a particularly rough fight with a younger stallion in the pens, Tornado was removed from the island. Moving him off the island will protect him from the younger herd sires continuing their quest for mares. The Ward's little colt out of Tornado cost $1,050. They named him Assateague Alvin.
 Mom, Sandy Ward said Alvin warmed up to Bethany right away. Travis was a little shy with the colt at first, but is now excited because the colt whinnies for them and sidles up to the fence to greet them. She said they are already lifting his legs and feet and touching him all over. They adore the little colt.
 We did purchase a third pony colt after Roe Terry from the Fire Department came to us about an 18 year old girl who was bidding up to $600 repeatedly, trying to get a foal. "Could we help?" he asked. After talking to Casey Ziegler, we found she was starting college this year with an equine science major.The Waynesboro, PA resident said she and her mother want to start a ministry through ponies. They were looking for a small pony to train to a cart for use in the ministry. She picked a small yearling pinto colt and we got it for $900.
 Thank you, photographer Kelly Liddard for the above photo!
At home, Casey had the colt's hooves trimmed and gave him a bath. She named him Indian Feather and they call him Indy, for short.
 Casey's mom, Michelle posted a note on our discussion page at www.featherfund.org saying, "Casey and I are new to the Feather Fund and just want to say a BIG THANK YOU! Our little guy is wonderful. He came home on Saturday and on Sunday my four year old niece was leading him all over the field and brushing him. She was so happy. We wanted a pony for children to enjoy and he is doing just that. He's picking up weight and has had his feet trimmed already. He is 9 months old and still smaller than this years foals. He is awesome. Again, we just want to thank the Feather Fund for all the future happiness this pony and all the other ponies will bring to children. THANK YOU! God Bless You All!
  After the auction, we had a lovely picnic with over 30 Feather Fund family members in attendence. The kids and adults chatted about everything equine and truly enjoyed spending time together. It was like a giant family reunion, the kind you like! It was another successful year for the Feather Fund, and a we'd like to issue a big welcome to all our new family members, both human and equine!
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