Students and alumni of the university will get to celebrate UW’s traditions this weekend at the homecoming events.
One tradition that UW is widely known for its colors, brown and gold. But how did they come to be the school’s colors? In the spring of 1895, the first alumni celebration took place. To decorate the ceremony, brown-eyed susans, flowers native to southeastern Wyoming, were used.
The alumni were so in love with brilliance of the colors they made them the official colors of the university.
The “cowgirls” and “cowboys” tradition started two years prior to UW’s first football game. The football players “scouted” for a new player and were able to convince Fred Bush, a 220-pound cowboy, into playing against the Cheyenne Soldiers. At the game, a crowd member yelled, “Hey, look at the cowboy,” when Bush came walking up in a plaid shirt and cowboy hat.
The name stuck and when the university started women’s sports, they were deemed “cowgirls.”
Cowboy Joe is the pony everyone sees running around the south end of the field when the football team scores a touchdown. This year, the fourth generation Cowboy Joe pony is scheduled to retire, meaning a fifth-generation Cowboy Joe is being trained.
The Cowboy Joe pony came about in 1950 when the Farthing family donated the pony to the university. UW made the pony the mascot at football games and it soon became an icon at parades, rodeos and various fairs all over the state.
Few know the three ‘Poke Principles,’ which are Excellence, Pride and Tradition. All UW athletic staff, coaches and student-athletes are looked upon to show these three principles on and off their respective stages. The faculty works hard every year to make sure they can, and will be shown when the Cowboys and Cowgirls are home or away.
