Colorado retires Ralphie VI due to 'an indifference to running,' will not have a live mascot to start 2025
The search for Ralphie VII has begun as the school tries to find a buffalo that likes to run (but not too fast)
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1 min read
One of college football's great traditions will not take place as the season begins. Colorado announced Tuesday that it will not have its live mascot, Ralphie, running down the field before games to get the Folsom Field crowd fired up.
That is because their current live buffalo mascot, Ralphie VI (nicknamed Ember), is retiring after four years in the role for the most relatable reason possible: she does not like to run.
"Ember will now transition to a companion buffalo role, living with Ralphie V on their ranch," Colorado stated in a release. "Due to an indifference to running, typical of many mammals both four-legged and two-legged, it was determined that it was in Ember's best interest, based on her disposition, to focus on relaxing strolls on the pasture, which is her favorite hobby."
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Shehan Jeyarajah
Who among us doesn't prefer a leisurely stroll around a pasture to doing wind sprints on a football field? We salute a relatable queen in her retirement, and wish her the best in grazing and meandering through retirement, free from sprinting.
Having to retire Ralphie VI for not wanting to run is a bit ironic, though, because the reason they had to stop running Ralphie V at football games was because she was too eager to let loose on the field.
"With past Ralphies, as they aged, their speed typically decreased; with Ralphie V, she has been so excited to run that she was actually running too fast, which created safety concerns for her and her handlers," the school said at the time.
And thus, Colorado finds itself in a Goldilocks situation regarding its live buffalo mascot and will hope Ralphie VII enjoys running, but not too aggressively. There is already a succession plan in place and there's no exact timeline on when Ralphie VII will debut as the members of the "Ralphie Live Mascot Program" work through training their next mascot.
