As a new tradition for the school, Colorado Mesa University now opens its football games with the running of a live “Rowdy” mascot. A group of wranglers accompanies the Corriente steer across the field during pregame performances, earning wild applause from the audience where Rowdy has already become a crowd favorite.

Ben Linzey, Associated Student Government president, said the process began last fall with local Cattlemen’s Association member Charles Burenheide’s donation to the university.

“Charles has been very beneficial in the whole process because he’s the one who provided the actual steer itself,” Linzey said. Burenheide also provided the trailer, food and water, and anything else Rowdy needs during game days. Aden Cesmat, the coordinator of Rowdy’s wranglers, also worked to bring Rowdy to the CMU campus.

“He’s definitely deserving of much of the credit,” Linzey said.

As “four-legged Rowdy” became a regular football season presence, the city of Grand Junction addressed the regulations that needed to be established.

“They just want us to ensure that it’s all cleaned up afterward. They like the tradition that we’re trying to create and they want it to happen, but they just want to ensure that the facility can be utilized by other groups on campus and in the city,” Linzey said.

Rowdy is an almost four-year-old former roping steer who signed on with CMU in fall 2016. Since then, he has nearly doubled in size. He spends his off-time at Charles Burenheide’s personal property, where wranglers and members of the Cattlemen’s association care for him.

“We’re very fortunate to have all of the generous donations that we’ve gotten from a lot of people,” Linzey said.

Rowdy will make his next appearance on September 16th when the Mavericks play against Colorado School of Mines at Stocker Stadium.