Texas Tech's search for the Masked Rider's new horse has finally concluded. Buzz, a 9-year-old quarter horse gelding from Shallowater, will replace Fearless Champion who recently retired after 10 years of service. Buzz – who will receive a stage name in the tradition of his predecessors – made his Texas Tech debut during the Red Raiders' annual Spring Game scrimmage at Jones AT&T Stadium.

“Buzz is very similar in disposition to the past two mascots, Midnight Matador and Fearless Champion,” said Sam Jackson, equine director for the Masked Rider Program and a professor within Tech's Department of Animal & Food Sciences. “He has a willing, calm demeanor and is a trusting horse by nature.”

The search for such an even-tempered horse wasn't easy. “Finding a new horse – who is perfect for this job – falls totally on Dr. Jackson's shoulders,” said Stephanie Rhode, director of the Masked Rider Program. “It's an arduous process, and he takes it seriously. We're all lucky to have him in this role.”

United Supermarkets, a corporate sponsor of the Masked Rider Program, will lead a naming contest for Buzz beginning starting June 15 and closing on July 15. The contestant who submits the winning name will receive a $500 United Supermarkets gift card.

Meanwhile, Buzz is getting used to being comfortable around people and noise. “He was utilized in a variety of ways by his previous owners,” Jackson said. “His past jobs included working cattle, roping events and general recreational riding. The new Masked Rider, Caroline Hobbs, has begun to acclimate him to his new home and will begin to make appearances this month.” Hobbs is a junior animal science major with a concentration in equine-assisted therapy. 

CONTACT: Chance Brooks, Interim Chair and Professor, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or chance.brooks@ttu.edu

0615NM22 / Editor's Note: To view a short video on the Masked Rider's new horse, please click here