Assateague Island Alliance Begins 2026 Fall Foal Naming Fundraiser

ASSATEAGUE ISLAND, Md. – Four foals born on Assateague Island are looking for names, and the honor, will fall in the hands of four lucky winners, all while raising funds to benefit the preservation and protection of the herd.

Nancy Gaither is the president of Assateague Island Alliance, and explained how the initiative, is a special way to raise funds.

“So people have had fun naming them, but also to honor a loved one.” Said Gaither. “It’s a great graduation or Christmas present. Or Hanukkah present. So again, it’s a way to give back to the island and help preserve this wonderful resource that we have in our backyard.”

The cherished tradition gives the lucky winners a chance at naming a young equine, and all of the money spent on tickets and bids, directly supports the mission of Assateague Island Alliance, which is to keep the wild horses, wild.

AIA Outreach Coordinator Ashlie Kozlowski helps to organize the fundraiser, and explained the success of initiative.

“We continue the tradition because it is so popular and because it is such a wonderful fundraiser, we are really able to get our awareness about our mission to promote the awareness, education and stewardship of Assateague Island National Seashore for wildlife and natural resources for the enjoyment of current and future generations.”

Winners will be chosen two different ways, two of the foals will be named by winners of an auction, highest bid wins. While the other two foals will be named through a raffle, where participants can purchase $20 tickets. The raffle winners will be chosen on November 23rd, 2026.

For more information on the foal-naming, and to buy your tickets or place a bid, visit the AIA website.