Colorado Buffaloes, fans celebrate Ralphie VII's first run at Folsom Field
The Colorado Buffaloes have another reason to celebrate, other than their recent victory over the Wyoming Cowboys last weekend. It was also the big debut for Ralphie VII, the newest live mascot to run across Folsom Field.
The buffalo runs across the field at the start of the game and at halftime.
Getting her ready for an audience of Black and Gold takes a lot of work behind the scenes. Taylor Stratton, the director of CU's Ralphie Live Mascot Program, talked to CBS Colorado Sports anchor Romi Bean during this week's "Coach Prime's Playbook with Romi Bean" about what happens leading up to Ralphie VII's first run.
"I was so excited. It has been such a long time, and everyone is really excited about it, and we're so bummed she couldn't make it for the first two games, but she just wasn't ready," said Stratton. "All you can do is work at their pace and move forward slowly and go."
Bean said, "Buffs Nation is in love with this young lady!" before she asked Stratton, "Do you have a nickname yet?"
"You know, I've been calling her Sporty Spice, I don't know if that one is going to cruise through copyright, but if I got a cease and desist letter from the Spice Girls, I think my life would be complete, but no, not a nickname yet. The team is working on that this week. I think it's bad luck to name them before they debut," said Stratton.
Stratton was a former Ralphie Handler before she took on the director role five years ago.
Stratton said she started looking for a new mascot the fall before last as the previous buffalo was nearing retirement.
"I was originally looking for a bottle baby because those animals, they are significantly more comfortable with people, and so you are sort of starting ahead of the game versus having to get them ready," said Stratton.
Stratton eventually connected with Eagle's Wing Ranch in Coalmont, outside of Steamboat Springs.
"I actually just started cold calling people on the internet in Colorado, and I came across Eagle's Wing Ranch, which is a family of alumni, and I called and I spoke to Claudia, and she was like, 'Yes, I would love to give you a buffalo' which was so exciting and fantastic," said Stratton. "We wanted to make sure that she had plenty of time with her mom and her family and everything and that she was ready to strike out on her own and we picked her up in late November of last year."
Stratton said that she's pretty sure that before Ralphie VII came to Boulder, "she had never seen more than five-to-10 people at a time in her entire life."
The handlers spent the first few months just getting her used to people and then her real training began before she hit the field in front of a crowd, "A little bit of a change there from five to 10 people to a sold-out Folsom Field."
"She's just amazing," said Bean.
"Coach Prime's Playbook with Romi Bean" airs at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays on CBS Colorado during the college football season.
