IS IT TIME TO RETIRE RALPHIE VI?

The good news is that the greatest tradition in all of college sports resides in Boulder, Colorado.  

CU’s beloved buffalo mascot, Ralphie has trampled down Folsom Field, leaving black hats and wheezing Ralphie Handlers in her wake, since 1967.  About 5 minutes before kickoff, every set of eyes in Folsom Field is glued to the northeast side of the stadium as fans begin to chant for Ralphie.  CU fans and opposing team fans stand in anticipation, smiles plastered on their faces, the air thick with expectation.  And — finally —- “Here….Comes….Ralphie” and bedlam.

The bad news is that the current buffalo, Ralphie VI, seemingly has no interest in participating in college football’s greatest tradition….and it’s probably time to find a new Ralphie.

Ralphie VI has struggled to match the theatrics of her predecessors, and fans have noted that her runs are shorter and slower than her predecessors.  Typically, she slowly jogs / gets pushed about 30 yards, turns around, and then sprints back to her trailer on the northwest side of the stadium. 

Ralphie VI’s disinterest has sparked a debate in the bleachers and on CU message boards: is it time to find a new Ralphie?

The Ralphie Program

The Ralphie program is run by CU Athletics staff and a team of student-athletes known as the Ralphie Handlers. Since 2020 the program has been overseen by Taylor Stratton as Head Coach, with Colton Behr as her assistant coach. Stratton and Behr both ran with Ralphie as students and now identify and train each new buffalo and coordinate her care. They work with roughly 15-20 students (both men and women) who earn varsity letters for volunteering 20–30 hours per week on Ralphie duties. Ralphie Handlers do everything from feeding and grooming Ralphie to running logistics on game day.

The Ralphie program is not university-funded through tuition or regular athletic budgets but is sustained entirely by donations. The CU Buff Club website notes that “the Ralphie Program has been 100% funded by the generosity of our donors and fans.” They estimate upkeep costs (hay, fencing, vet bills, travel, etc.) at roughly $100,000 per year. [Fans and alumni who want to support the tradition can contribute via the Buff Club or sponsor special appearances; indeed, arranged appearances with Ralphie are paid events whose fees help cover the program’s expenses.]

Selecting Ralphie VI

Ralphie V was a legend.  I can remember going to the CU Spring Game in 2008 when Ralphie had the single greatest / worst run in CU history. 

Ralphie V was a lovable maniac.

After a 12 year career, Ralphie V was retired (in 2019) for being too fast and unmanageable.  The program launched a search for her successor and eventually found Ralphie VI — the exact opposite kind of buffalo to Ralphie V.  

Ralphie VI’s origin story is a good one —

Ralphie VI was born on May 27, 2020 on the Isham family’s buffalo ranch near Chadron, Nebraska. She was orphaned and raised in part by a domestic cow on the ranch. Taylor Stratton reached out to the Ishams (who are longtime CU supporters) and in November 2020 the Isham family “formally donated a bison heifer calf to CU” as the new mascot.  

From there, Stratton’s team took over. The handlers worked with the calf through 2021, gradually increasing her exposure to crowds, vans, and Folsom Field. By the start of the 2021 season, they decided this young female had the right combination of energy and temperament to serve as Ralphie VI. In the official announcement, CU noted Ralphie VI “was a shade over 15 months old” at debut and weighed just under 500 pounds – roughly a third of the weight of a mature Ralphie. (Handlers expected she would triple in size and strength over time.) In short, it is Stratton’s program that picks Ralphie: they scout private herds, arrange a donation, and vet each candidate with months of training before making her official.

Ralphie VI: The Struggle to Run

It’s not just BuffsBlog that is frustrated with Ralphie VI….

By all public accounts, Ralphie VI has been healthy, well-fed, and impeccably cared for. The handlers love her. She responds well to training cues, is comfortable around people, and is a gentle presence at public appearances. But when it comes to the one job that defines her legacy—the run—she doesn’t cut the mustard.

Ralphie VI’s runs have been erratic and underwhelming. From her 2021 debut through the 2024 season, a consistent pattern has emerged: shorter routes, slower starts, and more visible hesitation. In many games, handlers have to tug her into motion and push her (or even worse, slap her) to continue running. In others, she veers toward the trailer the moment the trailer gates open, cutting her route short by 30 or 40 yards. It’s not unusual to see her stop running entirely by the 30 or 35-yard line, turning what should be a thundering spectacle into an awkward shuffle.

The most glaring examples have been documented on YouTube and social media. During the 2023 Nebraska game—a high-profile, emotionally charged matchup—Ralphie VI barely reached the 30 yard line before turning off. Fans who remember Ralphie IV storming the full horseshoe of Folsom Field in 20 seconds were left blinking in confusion. A similar moment occurred during the 2024 CSU game, when she took a wide arc and then abruptly slowed to a trot with handlers visibly adjusting on the fly.

The video below shows Ralphie “running” at the Alamo Bowl. This is embarassing, honestly.

This video is submission 1A in why Ralphie needs to be replaced.

Privately, some program insiders acknowledge that Ralphie VI simply lacks the same drive as her predecessors. [Those BuffsBlog sources are pretty killer.]. And while her calm demeanor makes her excellent for photo ops, it’s less ideal for a mascot whose value is measured in adrenaline. There’s a real tension here: the team has built an entire infrastructure of tradition and reverence around a buffalo who, frankly, doesn’t seem to want to do the primary part of her job.

Animal Welfare Concerns

Even as CU’s handlers insist the program is professional and humane, animal-rights advocates have long questioned the ethics of a live mascot. In late 2019 PETA sent a public letter to CU insisting the school retire the Ralphie program altogether. PETA argues that stadiums and travel are inherently stressful for wild animals. Their news release flatly stated that animals are “not to be thought of as toys, props, or amusements” and urged CU not even to replace Ralphie V with a new buffalo.

PETA’s senior leadership doubled down on this message. Senior VP Lisa Lange said the whole idea of carting a bison around is “indefensible” and advocated using costumed mascots instead. From PETA’s viewpoint, even if Ralphie VI is safe and well-cared-for, the practice itself is fundamentally wrong: times have changed, and it’s “time’s up on using live animals as sports props.”

The Case for Replacement

The combination of Ralphie VI’s abbreviated runs and the ongoing animal-welfare debate has given fans plenty to talk about. 

For context (and new CU fans), previous Ralphies routinely sprinted nearly full-field and were often commende for their speed. Ralphie V famously was a powerhouse; by contrast, VI’s sprints often stop near her own 30-yard line. Though there is no official rule on run length, observers notice it has become exceedingly rare for Ralphie VI to make even 1/2 of the horseshoe loop. She seems unhappy and doesn’t want to run.  This Ralphie seemingly makes PETA’s case for them – she looks stressed and like she doesn’t want to be at Folsom. Why are we putting this poor buffalo into a situation that she clearly wants no part of???

In contrast, however, former Ralphies have seemingly loved the job and, more importantly, seemingly loved to run.  They sprinted from end zone to end zone, zooming past fans, proudly leading the team onto the field. They appeared to live for the excitement and adrenaline of the greatest tradition in college sports.  And CU fans, and Buff alumni, treasured the spectacle, too.  

Now, though? It’s tougher to watch. We believe the best way for CU to proceed is to retire Ralphie VI now. Bring in a new buffalo, one that wants to run.  If CU doesn’t do this, then the negative calls from PETA and CU fans upset at Ralphie VI’s lackadaisical approach will not only continue but grow louder.