Colorado Mascot Ralphie VI Retires At 5 Due To 'Indifference To Running'
The university says the 5-year-old bison prefers pasture strolls to full-speed sprints on the football field.
After just four seasons of stampeding across Folsom Field, Ralphie VI is hanging up her hooves.
The University of Colorado announced Tuesday that its live mascot — a 5-year-old bison named Ember — has officially retired from her role of leading the Buffaloes football team onto the field.
The reason? A highly relatable lack of enthusiasm for cardio.
"Due to an indifference to running, typical of many mammals both four-legged and two-legged," the school said, "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."
Same, girl. That's why I choose to hike instead of run marathons.
Ralphie VI made her debut in 2021 at just 15 months old and 500 pounds. She quickly became part of one of the most iconic traditions in college football: the Ralphie run, in which a team of handlers sprints a full-sized bison around the field just before kickoff. But Ember never fully warmed up to the gig, and Colorado says she’s much happier off the gridiron. She’ll now join her predecessor Ralphie V ("Blackout") in a well-earned retirement on the ranch.
"Ember has been excellent in many aspects of her role as Ralphie, but she's happiest relaxing on the ranch, and we want to be respectful of her wishes," said Taylor Stratton, director of the Ralphie Live Mascot Program. "She will continue to get the same top level of love and care that all of our Ralphies receive."
For the time being, Coach Prime and the Buffaloes will take the field without a Ralphie. Training has already begun for her successor, Ralphie VII, but she’s not quite ready for game day.
Colorado opens its 2025 season at home against Georgia Tech on Friday.
Ralphie Is Not Actually A Buffalo
Despite being the face of the Buffaloes, Ralphie is not actually a buffalo. She’s a North American bison.
Bison have large humps at their shoulders and bigger heads than buffalo. They also have beards and thick coats, which they shed in the spring and early summer.
So why the confusion? Blame early European settlers, who reportedly mistook the buff-colored hides of bison for actual buffalo, which are native to Africa and Asia. The nickname stuck.
(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
And yes, Ralphie is a she. Female bison are smaller, less aggressive and easier to manage than their male counterparts, who can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and be a real pain in the ass to wrangle on game day.
The Ralphie tradition began in 1966 when the school’s first full-time live mascot appeared on the sidelines. She was originally named Ralph — because that’s the sound the animal made while running, according to CU — but one student quickly pointed out that "Ralph" is a terrible name for a lady, and the name was changed to Ralphie.
The Ralphie run as we know it today officially kicked off on Sept. 16, 1967, and has continued for 58 years.
Ember’s retirement at age 5 may seem early, especially since bison typically live 15–25 years in the wild and can surpass 30 in captivity. But it sounds like she’s simply decided to pursue a slower lifestyle.
She is a good girl. She did her best. And now she's earned the bovine life of luxury.