Cowboy Joe IV
Fans of the University of Wyoming Cowboy football enjoy watching Cowboy Joe IV, a fourth generation Wyoming mascot, as the pony trots around War Memorial Stadium after each Cowboy score.
Cowboy Joe is a a tradition which started in 1950 when the Farthing Family of Cheyenne made a generous donation of a young pony to become Wyoming's mascot. Cowboy Joe also represents UW in parades around the region, appears in Tailgate Park on football game days and leads the band and team in the pre-game Cowboy Walk. This beautiful little pony is very popular with Wyoming fans of all ages. Cowboy Joe's handlers are students in UW's College of Agriculture.
Role
of a UW Pony Handler:
Mission:
As a Cowboy Joe
Handler, you represent the University of Wyoming at athletic events, major
Wyoming shows such as Cheyenne Frontier Days and the Wyoming State Fair, and
other notable university activities such as Homecoming and Family Weekend. In addition to interacting with the public,
handlers are responsible escorting Joe to these events, training, grooming, and
feeding.
Feeding- Each individual handler will be
responsible to feed Cowboy Joe in the morning and evening every day, one week a
month.
Home
Football Game Day-
Handlers are
required to meet at the school farm to feed and groom Joe. They are required to
be at Tailgate Park before it opens on game days, lead the band and team in the
Cowboy Walk, which is typically 3 hours prior to kick off, and have Joe at
Tailgate Park for “meet and greet.” Handlers will be on the field with Cowboy
Joe during games and will be responsible for running Joe around the field at
the beginning of the game and after touchdowns. During certain games, Cowboy
Joe will also a part of the half time festivities.
Parades- Handlers will be expected to
participate in selected summer events such as Laramie Jubilee Days Parade
(first week in July), both Saturday parades at Cheyenne Frontier Days (last two
Saturdays in July), and the Wyoming State Fair (3rd week in August).
During the school year, handlers will also participate in the UW Homecoming
parade and other university-wide activities.
Appearance & Clothing- As representatives of the
University of Wyoming, the handlers are expected to look and behave
professionally at every Cowboy Joe event. Handlers are required to provide
their own dark wash jeans, cowboy boots, and straw cowboy hat. The rest of our
uniform is provided and paid for with the Cowboy Joe Handler Fund.
Other Expectations- If selected,
you will be a handler until graduation or fourth year of college
attendance. The current handlers will be part of the selection process
each spring. If a handler quits before
graduation, that individual will be expected to reimburse the handler fund the
cost of the clothing provided. To be selected, handlers must be in good
academic standing and remain in good academic standing during their tenure as a
handler.
Handler Award- In appreciation for volunteering,
each handler will receive a performance award of $500/ semester.
Eligibility requirements:
Full-time student
In good academic standing
Plan to be in Laramie for the
entire 2013/14 Academic Year
This is as serious as it is fun. It will involve a portion of you time and effort. We (the current handlers) have tried hard to bring Joe back into the public. We are looking for others with the same enthusiasm.
