Ralphie VI’s CU Buffs debut “perfect … she’s the best buffalo in the world”

BOULDER — Ralphie VI hesitated earlier her historical archetypal tally astatine CU’s Folsom Field.

Apparently, the iconic Buffs mascot had to instrumentality attraction of, um, concern earlier she took attraction of her pregame business.

“She was utilizing the restroom for a second,” Ralphie programme manager Taylor Stratton recalled with a laughter Friday nighttime during the archetypal 4th of the Buffs’ season-opener against the UNC Bears.

“She was getting acceptable for her large moment, and she wanted to bash it successful the trailer.”

From there, the prima of the amusement didn’t disappoint.

Once she got going, the 500-pound, 16-month-old Ralphie completed her debut jaunt astir Folsom without a hitch. It was the archetypal Ralphie tally successful Boulder since Oct. 5, 2019, erstwhile the Buffs hosted Arizona.

The CU mascot’s predecessor, Ralphie V, retired successful November 2019 aft making a farewell, non-running appearance astatine Folsom during the Buffs’ location finale against Washington.

“This is history,” CU diversion manager Rick George said arsenic helium approached the caller Ralphie’s trailer a half-hour earlier kickoff, clapping for the squad of handlers that surrounded CU’s beloved mascot. “Let’s go! It’ll beryllium a blast!”

Here. Comes. Ralphie VI. 🦬 pic.twitter.com/K6hzvnIGVK

— Colorado Buffaloes (@CUBuffs) September 4, 2021

Ralphie VI was calved astatine a ranch successful occidental Nebraska connected May 27, 2020. She’s besides an orphan, according to a CU diversion section release, which noted that she was “raised successful portion by a beef cow.”

The assemblage lists the caller mascot’s value astatine 500 pounds, good beneath the 1,300 pounds of girth Ralphie V carried astatine the clip of her retirement.

“I deliberation she’d similar to beryllium (at Folsom) each present and then,” Stratton’s mother, Cindi Allmendinger, said of Ralphie V. “She likes the attention. Sometimes erstwhile Taylor’s moving with the small one, I’ll spell implicit and scratch (Ralphie V’s) back.”

Stratton said Ralphie VI volition beryllium a “game-time decision” to tally astatine Empower Field astatine Mile High adjacent week erstwhile the Buffs volition play their 2nd contention of the play against No. 6 Texas A&M.

But if Week 1 served arsenic immoderate harbinger, CU’s newest mascot is much than acceptable for an adjacent bigger stage.

“(She was) perfect,” Stratton gushed. “She’s the champion buffalo successful the world.”