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When a group of Epoch Times journalists clinched the nation’s premier journalism award for a story about Virginia’s century-old pony round-up, it wasn’t just a victory for storytelling—it was a much-needed reminder that some American traditions still matter, even as coastal elites and bureaucrats try to erase them from the national memory.
At a Glance
- The Epoch Times journalists win the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Travel Journalism in 2024.
- The award-winning story highlights the historic Chincoteague Island pony round-up, a nearly 100-year-old American tradition.
- The event supports local emergency services and sustains community pride, standing as a rebuke to cultural erasure.
- National recognition boosts both the event’s profile and the publication’s credibility amid journalism’s identity crisis.
Epoch Times Story Wins Big for Honoring Real American Heritage
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) handed its 2024 Sigma Delta Chi Award for Travel Journalism to Nanette Holt, Natasha Holt, and Richard Moore of The Epoch Times for their feature on the Chincoteague pony round-up—a story that, for once, didn’t try to reimagine, “deconstruct,” or apologize for American history, but instead celebrated it. In a media landscape obsessed with tearing down monuments and rewriting the past, this recognition stands out like a lighthouse in a fog bank. The story, “Pony Round-Up in Virginia Captures Hearts of Horse Lovers for 100 Years,” dives into the annual summer spectacle on Chincoteague Island, where wild ponies are rounded up and herded across the channel, drawing crowds and supporting the local fire department through auctions. This is not some sanitized, city-slicker nostalgia piece; it’s a robust, boots-on-the-ground look at a tradition that’s endured since 1925—weathering storms, bureaucrats, and the relentless march of “progress.”
The round-up has survived nearly a century and become the backbone of the island’s identity. It brings in tourists, keeps local businesses alive, and proves that when government gets out of the way, communities can thrive on their own values and initiative. The story didn’t just impress the contest judges. It resonated with readers who are sick and tired of seeing small-town America depicted as some backward relic, instead of the engine that’s kept this country running while the coastal crowd obsesses over pronouns and “safe spaces.”
Tradition, Community, and the American Spirit
The annual pony round-up isn’t just entertainment—it’s a lifeline for the island’s volunteer fire company and a point of pride for every resident. While the federal government spends trillions on failed programs and pet projects, here’s a case where a local tradition sustains itself through community action. The event’s proceeds support emergency services, and the town doesn’t need a bailout or a handout to keep its people safe.
The journalists behind the story didn’t parachute in with a preconceived agenda. Nanette Holt, Natasha Holt, and Richard Moore grew up with this tradition, and their reporting reflects a deep respect for the people and history of Chincoteague. Their work stands in stark contrast to the “woke” reporting that dominates the mainstream media—coverage that often seems more interested in finding fault than honoring what’s good and noble about America’s past.
National Recognition Reminds Us What Matters
National recognition from the SPJ doesn’t just put a feather in The Epoch Times’ cap—it offers hope to Americans who are exhausted by the relentless attacks on their values, history, and way of life. The story’s success proves there’s still an audience for honest reporting that doesn’t insult the intelligence or patriotism of its readers. It also demonstrates the power of local traditions to resist the tide of cultural homogenization and top-down “reform.”
Meanwhile, as the federal government stumbles from one crisis to the next—spending, inflating, and regulating at historic levels—stories like this remind us that the real heart of America still beats strongest in her towns and small communities. The pony round-up continues, year after year, inspiring families and teaching the next generation that not every American value is up for negotiation, and not every tradition needs to be “reimagined.”