Cowboy Joe Handlers
Cowboy Joe Handlers have the unique opportunity to care for, travel with, and represent the University of Wyoming's beloved mascot, Cowboy Joe. Handlers groom and prepare Joe, trailer him to events, and showcase him at home football games, parades, university events, and community functions throughout Wyoming and beyond.
Serving as a Cowboy Joe Handler combines animal care, school spirit, public engagement, and a passion for the University of Wyoming. Handlers represent UW at events including football games, the Wyoming State Fair, National Western Stock Show, UW Commencement, parades, and Border War events.
Current Handlers
Chase is a senior at UW, studying Criminal Justice with a minor in History. When she is not wrangling Cowboy Joe, she serves as the President of the Chi Omega Sorority.
Sage is a sophomore studying Animal Science with a concentration in Pre-Vet medicine. She is currently the Public Relations Director for the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Outside of academics, she volunteers at the Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Tess is going into her third year as a Cowboy Joe Handler. She is a senior at UW studying Physiology. In her free time she loves to rock climb and bake sourdough.
Cowboy Joe V
Cowboy Joe V is the fifth-generation mascot of the University of Wyoming. This 13-year-old Shetland pony represents UW at football games, parades, tailgates, commencement, and other university and community events. Cowboy Joe's tradition at UW dates back to 1950, when the Farthing family of Cheyenne donated the original pony mascot.
The University of Wyoming has earned its Research Level 1 (R1) status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing Wyoming's only four-year university with the top research universities in the United States.