From staff reports
The Carolina Marsh Tacky Association (CMTA) will be hosting its 2nd annual Pigs & Pearls: Oyster Roast & BBQ on Saturday, Feb. 11 to raise funds and awareness for a rare horse breed native to the Lowcountry.
Formed in 2007, CMTA’s mission is promote, preserve and protect the Carolina Marsh Tacky, which is S.C. State Heritage Horse.
“We put this fundraiser together last year for the first time, and it was a huge success with over 150 people in attendance,” CMTA president Charles Hill said in a news release. “We had great food and music, and people were able to learn about this breed of horse and why it is so special.”
Marsh Tackies are descendants of Spanish horses brought to America in the 1500s. Isolated on S.C. sea islands and secluded areas of the Lowcountry, they developed into a unique strain of Colonial Spanish horses.
Tough, easy-going and versatile, the Marsh Tacky was once a mainstay of the Gullah community and Lowcountry families. Today, fewer than 500 horses are living. They are documented in a conservation registry that preserves the purity of the breed’s bloodlines.
The Marsh Tacky has galloped well beyond the borders of S.C., however, with Tacky owners as far north as New York and far west as Mississippi.
“The association is diligently working to save the breed and to preserve its history and heritage for future generations,” Hill said.
Open to the public, Pigs & Pearls will have a menu of oysters and barbecue provided by Gullah Man Oyster & Seafood. Live entertainment will be provided by Noel Lindler Music. The event will be held at Grayson Oaks, 471 Orchard Rd., Yemassee, with the party getting started at 2 p.m. Tickets are $65 per person; $35 for children ages 12 and under. There will be raffle prizes and a silent auction of donated items.
To learn more or purchase tickets, email marshtacky@gmail or call (864) 915-7108. Tickets must be prepurchased.
Want To Go?
What: Carolina Marsh Tacky Association’s 2nd annual Pigs & Pearls: Oyster Roast & BBQ.
When: 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11.
Where: Grayson Oaks, 471 Orchard Road, Yemassee.
Tickets: Tickets are $65 per person; $35 for children ages 12 and younger.
More information: Open to the public, Pigs & Pearls will have a menu of oysters and barbecue provided by Gullah Man Oyster & Seafood. Live entertainment will be provided by Noel Lindler Music. There will be raffle prizes and a silent auction of donated items. To learn more or purchase tickets, email marshtacky@gmail or call 864-915-7108. Tickets must be prepurchased.
